A short diagnostic tool monitors symptoms, helping to evaluate treatment effectiveness

INDIANAPOLIS – Researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine have developed and validated a short questionnaire to help patients report symptoms and assist health care providers in assessing severity. the symptoms, and in monitoring and changing treatment accordingly.

The tool, called SymTrak-8, is a shorter version of the SymTrak-23. The questionnaire monitors for symptoms such as pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, memory problems, anxiety and depression in older adults, enabling clinicians to provide better care for the underlying diseases. causing the symptoms.

“These symptoms are commonly reported in primary care, but they can be a symptom of a number of different diseases, so it’s important to monitor them,” said Kurt Kroenke, MD, person Regenstrief Institute research scientist and IU School of Medicine professor of medicine. “This shorter version of Symtrak provides the same insight as the 23-question tool, but is not as heavy to finish. It can be very useful in busy primary care settings, where time may be limited. ”

The symptoms that the device monitors can have a significant impact on quality of life, and often appear in clusters as a result of a number of breast diseases.

“The Symtrak-8 and Symtrak-23 provide a more complete picture of overall well-being and symptom burden,” said Patrick O. Monahan, PhD, Regenstrief-affiliated scientist and professor of biostatistics at the IU School of Medicine. “The sensitivity of the questionnaires can be a good barometer of the effectiveness of treatments.”

The SymTrak tool draws on the strengths of existing questionnaires such as the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PHQ-15, as well as PROMIS® (Patient-reported Outcome Measurement Information System) and the Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor. It can be completed by a patient or carer.

“We are excited about the scalability of these devices,” Dr. Kroenke said. “They are clinically practical and clinically relevant, and the choice of a shorter and longer version gives clinicians more flexibility.”

“SymTrak-8 as a short-term measure for assessing symptoms in older adults” was published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine online ahead of print. This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging grant R01 AG043465.

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Timothy Stump, MA, a biostatistician from the IU School of Medicine, was also the author of the paper.

Founded in 1969 in Indianapolis, the Regenstrief Institute is a local, national and global leader dedicated to a world where better information empowers people to end disease and achieve real health. Indiana University’s key research partner, Regenstrief and its research scientists rely on a growing number of healthcare innovations and studies. Examples range from the development of global health information technology standards that enable the use and interaction of electronic health records to the development of physician communication, to the creation of models of care that inform and improve practice. the lives of patients around the world.

Sam Regenstrief, a successful national entrepreneur from Connersville, Indiana, founded the institute with the goal of making healthcare more efficient and accessible to all. His vision still guides the institute’s research mission.

The IU School of Medicine is the largest medical school in the U.S. and is ranked annually among the top medical schools in the country by US News & World Report. The school offers high-quality medical education, access to major medical examination and a rich on-campus life in nine Indiana cities, including rural and urban locations that are consistently recognized for potential .

In addition to his career as a research scientist at the Regenstrief Institute ?, Kurt Kroenke, MD, MACP, is also a professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Patrick Monahan is an associate scientist of Regenstrief, a professor of biostatistics at Indiana University School of Medicine, and an associate professor at IUPUI’s IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health.