AUTHOR=van Knippenberg Samira E. M. , Powell-Brett Sarah F. , Joshi Kunal , Weeda Víola B. , Hartog Hermien 

TITLE=Quality of Measurement Properties in Patient Reported Outcomes Used in Adult Liver Transplant Candidates and Recipients: a Systematic Review

JOURNAL=Transplant International

VOLUME=Volume 38 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/journals/transplant-international/articles/10.3389/ti.2025.14497

DOI=10.3389/ti.2025.14497

ISSN=1432-2277

ABSTRACT=ObjectivePatient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are increasingly recognized in liver transplant (LT)-patients, yet recent evaluations of their quality are lacking. This systematic review gives a comprehensive overview of available PROMs in adults awaiting or undergoing LT and their measurement properties.MethodA systematic search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and COCHRANE (01/2010–08/2023) included studies involving adult LT-candidates and/or recipients utilizing PROMs with original evaluations of measurement properties. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) was used to ascertain the quality of measurement properties.ResultsIn total, 23 studies encompassing 35 PROMs were identified, including nine disease-specific and 26 generic PROMs. The (Short-form) Liver Disease Quality of Life ((SF-)LDQoL), Transplant Effects Questionnaire (TxEQ) and Post-Liver Transplant Quality of Life (pLTQ) were the most utilized disease-specific PROMs. Most studies demonstrated low-quality evidence for measurement properties. pLTQ demonstrated high-quality evidence for internal consistency, reliability, and responsiveness; the generic Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) showed strong evidence for internal consistency and construct validity.ConclusionMeasurement properties in LT-patients remains of low-quality. pLTQ stands out for its superior methodological quality among disease-specific PROMs. For future studies, there is a strong recommendation to focus more on patients’ subjective measures and their measurement properties.