TITLE:
A Composite Endpoint Measure to Consolidate Multidimensional Impact of Treatment on Gouty Arthritis
AUTHORS:
Andrew J. Sarkin, Ari Gnanasakthy, Rachel S. Lale, Kyle J. Choi, Jan D. Hirsch
KEYWORDS:
Gout; Response Criteria; Composite Endpoint
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases,
Vol.3 No.3,
August
16,
2013
ABSTRACT: Objective: To create a multidimensional composite outcomes endpoint for gouty arthritis treatment in order to consolidate disparate measures of comparative effectiveness. Methods: One solution is to create a multidimensional composite endpoint that consolidates the complexity of outcomes into a single scale, as was done in this study. The psychometrics of the multidimensional scale and subgroup differences were investigated. Results: Cronbach’s alpha for the multidimensional composite endpoint created in this study was 0.76, indicating good internal reliability. Similar results were found across age, race, and gender. Removing any single item did not increase Cronbach’s alpha beyond 0.77, indicating that none of the items were interfering with the reliability of the scale. However, a reduction in serum urate levels was not significantly correlated with the overall multidimensional endpoint scale with that variable removed, r = 0.03, p > 0.05. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the feasibility and usefulness of creating a composite multidimensional endpoint for assessing treatment outcomes among individuals with gouty arthritis.