Psychometric validation of the rhinitis control assessment test: a brief patient-completed instrument for evaluating rhinitis symptom control

• Published in: Annals of allergy, asthma, & immunology Vol. 104; no. 2; p. 118
• Main Authors: Schatz, Michael, Meltzer, Eli O, Nathan, Robert, Derebery, M Jennifer, Mintz, Matthew, Stanford, Richard H, Dalal, Anand A, Silvey, Mary Jane, Kosinski, Mark
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.02.2010
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nasal Obstruction; Psychometrics; Quality of Life; Reproducibility of Results; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial - diagnosis; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial - physiopathology; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 1081-1206; 1534-4436
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2009.11.063

Allergic rhinitis is common, but a validated tool for comprehensive assessment of disease control is not available. To develop a simple patient-completed instrument (the Rhinitis Control Assessment Test [RCAT]) to help detect problems with control of rhinitis symptoms. During a visit to an allergy specialist, 410 patients with allergic rhinitis completed a Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) assessment and the 26-item developmental RCAT. Physicians also completed a global assessment of rhinitis symptom control for each patient. Stepwise regression methods identified 6 items from the developmental RCAT (frequency of nasal congestion, sneezing, and watery eyes; sleep interference; activity avoidance; and self-assessed control) that were most predictive of the allergist's global rating of rhinitis symptom control. A summated rating scale from these 6 items showed good convergent validity (r > 0.70) with scale scores from the TNSS. The discriminant validity of the 6-item scale was demonstrated as mean RCAT scale scores differed significantly across groups of patients differing in physician-rated disease severity (F = 54.4), TNSS severity (F = 193.8), and physician-recommended change in therapy (F = 50.6) (P < .001 for all). The RCAT, a 6-item patient-completed instrument, has satisfactory psychometric properties and seems to be a valid tool for assessing control of allergic rhinitis. Further validation studies will provide confirmation.