Validation of the MASK-rhinitis visual analogue scale on smartphone screens to assess allergic rhinitis control.
Clin Exp Allergy 2017;
47:1526-1533. [PMID:
28886234 DOI:
10.1111/cea.13025]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2017] [Revised: 05/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a validated tool to assess control in allergic rhinitis patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to validate the use of VAS in the MASK-rhinitis (MACVIA-ARIA Sentinel NetworK for allergic rhinitis) app (Allergy Diary) on smartphones screens to evaluate allergic rhinitis symptoms and disease control.
METHODS
Each user filled 4 different VAS measuring overall, nasal, ocular, and asthma symptoms at least once. Following COSMIN guidelines, we evaluated internal consistency, (Cronbach's alpha coefficient and test-retest), reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients), sensitivity, and acceptability of the MASK-Rhinitis VAS.
RESULTS
Between 1 August 2015 and 31 July 2016, the app was used 14 612 times in 15 countries. A total of 1225 users used it more than once, during the evaluated period. The tool resulted to be statistically satisfactory, showing excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's test > 0.84, test-retest > 0.7), reliability (>0.9), and acceptability. In addition, the tool had a good sensitivity when users (n = 521) answered the VAS twice in less than 3 hours.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
The MASK-rhinitis VAS is a reliable and valid tool to assess allergic control on smartphone screens, at the population level.
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