Quality of life in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease: validation of the Chinese translation of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Health-related quality of life is an important outcome measure in inflammatory bowel disease. The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire is a quality of life questionnaire that has not been validated previously in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Aim: To develop and validate a Chinese translation of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire, specifically determining its construct validity, discriminant ability, reliability and sensitivity to change.

Methods: We developed a Chinese version of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire. Chinese patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis completed the Chinese Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire and visual analogue scales measuring systemic, social, bowel and emotional well-being. Patients also completed a validated Chinese SF-36 generic quality of life questionnaire, the Crohn's disease activity index or the clinical activity index for ulcerative colitis.

Results: One hundred and thirty-five patients (59 with Crohn's disease and 76 with ulcerative colitis) were enrolled, 99 of whom also completed the Chinese Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire for a second time. The Chinese Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire correlated well with the SF-36 for all four domains (Spearman: r = 0.55-0.80), the Crohn's disease activity index (r = -0.62-0.72) and the clinical activity index for ulcerative colitis (r = -0.44-0.68), as well as with the visual analogue scales. The Chinese Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire accurately distinguished between active and inactive disease. Test-re-test reliability showed excellent intra-class correlation (0.76-0.92; all P < 0.001). The Chinese Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire was also sensitive to changes in disease activity (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The Chinese Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire is a valid and reliable test that correlates well with the patients' subjective well-being and clinical disease activity.