Recommended by: Prof JG Kuipers
Patient selection: presence of tophi
Number of items in questionnaire: 20
Statements about tophi:
(1) painful
(2) painful if knocked
(3) make walking difficult
(4) make bending over difficult
(5) make writing difficult
(6) make feeding self difficult
(7) resulted in a change in footware
(8) bought special shoes
(9) have caused financial difficulties
(10) make participating in family life difficult
(11) unable to play sports
(12) have no effect on life
(13) embarrassing
(14) make others feel uncomfortable
(15) unpleasant to look at (unsightly)
(16) life woud be better if tophi gone
(17) do not bother me
(18) have become infected
(19) had to see a doctor because of tophi
(20) required surgery
Responses are agree or disagree.
For most items, an affirmative response is associated with greater tophus burden. The exceptioms are questions 12 and 17, which are “reversed”.
In the implementation both items 12 and 17 were rewritten since the responses could result in a double negative.
Interpretation:
• minimum number of responses associated with tophus burden: 0
• maximum number of responses associated with tophus burden: 20
• The tophus burden was greater as the number of responses associated with tophus burden increased.
Performance:
• The questionnaire shows internal, face and construct validity. It is reproducible and feasible.
