Research Appraisals
Evidence-based critical appraisals of the latest medical research, systematically evaluated using Oxford CEBM methodology.
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Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation
Health-related quality of life domains relevant to people in Europe undergoing cancer treatment: a systematic review of qualitative research
PURPOSE: To identify and synthesize evidence from European qualitative studies on cancer-related quality of life outcomes, needs, experiences, preferences, and concerns of people undergoing cancer treatment in the last decade. METHODS: Systematic review ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO , CRD42024575065) of European studies using qualitative methodology, assessing constructs related to HRQoL, and involving adults receiving cancer treatment. The search was performed in PubMed and Scopus from January 2013 to July 2024. Titles, abstracts, and full texts screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were conducted independently by two researchers. The main outcomes were the themes reported in each study. The thematic analysis was performed by organizing the themes of the studies into categories. RESULTS: Out of 18,256 articles initially identified, 36 met the inclusion criteria: 21 with generic and 15 with specific objectives. Five categories encompassing 110 themes were identified from the generic studies: Psychological Function (n = 41), Clinical Management (n = 26), Symptoms and Physical Function (n = 18), Social Function (n = 16), and Life Disruption (n = 9). Eleven studies with specific objectives focused on clinical management with all their themes fitting within the categories identified in the generic studies. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed the predominance of psychological function and clinical management themes. Symptoms and physical function, social function, and life disruption maintained their importance within the classical HRQoL framework. The emergence of clinical management is consistent with the growing patient-centered care approach, suggesting the need to integrate this content into the evaluation of patients undergoing cancer treatment. LIMITATIONS: most European countries were not represented, and publication bias could hide traditional domains.
15 May 2026
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Health-related quality of life in patients with obstructive sleep apnea - a systematic review update assessing the quality of measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures
PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review update was to identify existing health-related quality of life (HRQOL) patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Building upon a 2016 systematic review, which recommended four PROMs with the highest evidence, this investigation was warranted to synthesize new evidence and evaluate new PROMs that have emerged since then via the Consensus based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). METHODS: We searched Medline via PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library for HRQOL PROM development and validation studies published in English or German. Studies focusing on cross-cultural validation, those in which PROMs were assessed as secondary outcomes, and studies limited to specific demographic subgroups or single HRQOL domains were excluded. For risk of bias and quality of measurement properties (MP) assessment, we used the COSMIN methodology to facilitate comparability with the previous review, as well as the GRADE approach for evidence level evaluation. RESULTS: We identified two new PROMs, the Patient-Reported Apnea Questionnaire (PRAQ) and the Symptoms, Tiredness, Alertness, Mood and Psychosocial instrument (STAMP), which were validated in two studies and a single study, respectively. Overall, the PRAQ displays an moderate risk of bias with excellent quality of MP and high evidence for content validity in particular, whereas the STAMP shows a higher risk of bias and low quality of MP. CONCLUSION: The PRAQ has demonstrated the strongest evidence among PROMs since 2016. In total, including the previous review, five PROMs are currently recommended for assessing HRQOL in individuals with OSA. REVIEW REGISTRATION: The review was registered with PROSPERO under the registration number CRD42024602020.
24 Apr 2026
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