Assessing Quality of Life of Patients with Stroke using EQ-5D and SF-12

Objective To compare the results of EQ-5D and SF-12 for assessing health-related quality of life in stroke patients. Methods EQ-5D and SF-12 were administered to 598 ischemic stroke patients through face-to-face interviews. Differences in PCS-12 and MCS-12 scores across different levels of EQ-5D dimensions were tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The EQ-5D index and visual analogue scale/score （VAS） scores of respondents were compared between those with higher than and lower than median SF-12 scores using student t-test. Pearson correlations between PCS-12 and EQ-5D scores were tested. Results PCS-12 and MCA-12 scores varied across different levels of EQ-5D dimensional scores, except for pain/discomfort. EQ-5D and VAS scores varied between those with high and low SF-12 scores. No significant differences in EQ-5D index and VAS scores were found in the EQ-5D indicated healthy respondents between those with high and low SF-12 scores (P >0.05). PCS-12 was positively correlated with EQ-5D index and VAS scores, with r=0.15 (P <0.001) and r=0.33 (P <0.001), respectively. MCS-12 was also positively correlated with EQ-5D index and VAS score, with r=0.17 (P <0.001) and r= 0.13 (P <0.001), respectively. Conclusion Both instruments are valid measurements for assessing quality of life. The SF-12 appeared to be more sensitive to differences in health status. EQ-5D is preferable if both quality of life assessment and health economics study are to be conducted.