Toronto aortic stenosis quality of life questionnaire (TASQ): validation in TAVI patients.

Background: Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common cardiac condition whose prevalence increases with age. The symptom burden associated with severe aortic stenosis (AS) can introduce significant lifestyle disruptions and if left untreated can lead to a poor prognosis. Quality of life (QoL) is an important consideration in these patients.

Addition of anti-thymocyte globulin to standard graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis versus standard treatment alone in patients with haematological malignancies undergoing transplantation from unrelated donors: final analysis of a randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial.

Background: Previous trials testing prevention strategies for chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD) have measured its cumulative incidence. In this trial of anti-thymocyte globulin, we measured treatment-independence at a long-term timepoint as the primary endpoint.

Methods: This was a randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial done at ten centres in Canada and one in Australia.

Combined cancer patient-reported symptom and health utility tool for routine clinical implementation: a real-world comparison of the ESAS and EQ-5D in multiple cancer sites.

Background: We assessed whether the presence and severity of common cancer symptoms are associated with the health utility score (hus) generated from the EQ-5D (EuroQol Research Foundation, Rotterdam, Netherlands) in patients with cancer and evaluated whether it is possible pragmatically to integrate routine hus and symptom evaluation in our cancer population.

Methods: Adult outpatients at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre with any cancer were surveyed cross-sectionally using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (esas) and the EQ-5D-3L, and results were compared using Spearman correlation coefficients and regression analyses.

Results: Of 764 patients analyzed, 27% had incurable disease.

Development of a psychoeducational intervention for people affected by pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic cancer has one of the highest mortality rates of any malignancy, placing a substantial burden on patients and families with high unmet informational and supportive care needs. Nevertheless, access to psychosocial and palliative care services for the individuals affected is limited. There is a need for standardized approaches to facilitate adjustment and to improve knowledge about the disease and its anticipated impact.

A two-dimensional model of disrupted body integrity: initial evaluation in head and neck cancer.

Purpose: This cross-sectional study presents an initial psychometric evaluation of a two-dimensional (perceptual and evaluative) conceptualization and measure of disrupted body integrity (DBI)-illness-related disruption of the sense of the body as an integrated, smoothly functioning whole.

Methods: Male and female head and neck cancer (HNC) outpatients (N = 98) completed a questionnaire package prior to outpatient visits.

Main Outcome Measures: The Disrupted Body Integrity Scale (DBIS) was developed to measure the perceptual and evaluative facets of DBI.