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Development and validation of the self-administered Fibromyalgia Assessment Status: A disease-specific composite measure for evaluating treatment effect
Arthritis Research & Therapy, 08/24/09

Salaffi F et al. – Study reports that the self–administered Fibromyalgia Assessment Status (FAS) is a reliable, valid and responsive disease–specific composite measure for assessing treatment effect in patients with fibromyalgia (FM).

• Aim was to develop and analyse the psychometric properties of a new composite disease–specific index, FAS
• FAS combines a pt's assessment of fatigue, sleep disturbances and pain evaluated on the basis of 16 non–articular sites list of the SAPS in a single measure (range 0 to 10)
• FAS index was constructed using a traditional development strategy
• Its psychometric properties were tested in 226 FM pts (209 women)
• Pt’s disease–related characteristics were assessed by:
  • 11–numbered circular numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances and general health (GH)
  • Tender point score (TPS)
  • SAPS, FIQ, and SF–36
• 226 RA pts were used for comparative purposes
• 152 of 179 FM pts completed the 3–mo period and were included in the responsiveness analyses
• 154 pts repeated the FAS questionnaire after an interval of 1 wk; its test/re–test reliability was calculated
• Responsiveness was evaluated on the basis of effect size and the standardised response mean

• FAS index fulfilled the established criteria for validity, reliability and responsiveness
• Factor analysis showed that SAPS and fatigue contributed most, and respectively explained 47.4% and 31.2% of the variance; sleep explained 21.3%
• A closer significant correlations were found when FAS was compared with total FIQ, and the FIQ subscales, particularly job ability, tiredness, fatigue and pain
• But the correlation between FAS and the mental component summary scale score (MCS) of the SF–36 was particularly interesting
• Test/re–test reliability was satisfactory
• FAS showed the greatest effect size
• The magnitude of the responsiveness measures was different between FAS and the FIQ, and between the SF–36 MCS and the SF–36 physical component summary scale score (PCS)

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