According to a panel of international experts, clinical trials of multimorbidity should measure and report, at minimum, quality of life, mortality, and mental health outcomes.
Twenty-six multimorbidity researchers, clinicians, and patients from 13 countries participated in a Delphi Panel and reached consensus on 17 core outcomes for multimorbidity research.
The highest ranked outcomes were health related quality of life, mental health outcomes and mortality.
Other outcomes were grouped into overarching themes of patient-reported impacts and behaviors (treatment burden, self-rated health, self-management behavior, self-efficacy, adherence); physical activity and function (activities of daily living, physical function, physical activity); outcomes related to the medical visit (communication, shared decision making, prioritization); and health systems outcomes (healthcare utilization, costs, quality of healthcare).
The authors suggest that, when designing studies to capture important domains in multimorbidity, researchers consider the full range of outcomes based on study aims and interventions.
More information: Susan M. Smith et al. A Core Outcome Set for Multimorbidity Research (COSmm), The Annals of Family Medicine (2018). DOI: 10.1370/afm.2178
Journal information: Annals of Family Medicine
Provided by American Academy of Family Physicians
