Item responsiveness of a rhinitis and asthma symptom score during a pollenseason

Twenty-one asthma patients with allergic rhinitis completed a series of sel f-administered questionnaires (21-item symptom score for rhinosinusitis and asthma, bother scale, McMaster Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire [MAQOL ] and Euroqol(C)) at 2-week intervals from August to November 1994. Relativ e responsiveness of the instruments was assessed in reference to the maximu m and minimum average scores for MAQOL, with area under the curve (AUC) and correlation coefficients between the different instruments. Symptom score, MAQOL, and bother scale provided similar results for both extreme values a nd AUG, whereas Euroqol utilities were less responsive. These results sugge st that the symptom scores and bother scales are responsive and valid, and might prove valuable in everyday practice, clinical trials, and quality ass urance programs.