Development and validation of the AML-QOL: a quality of life instrument for patients with acute myeloid leukemia

There is currently no validated quality of life (QOL) instrument specific to patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A previous cross-sectional interview-based study elicited concepts for inclusion in a novel QOL instrument. Here, we further develop and validate this new instrument, the AML-QOL. Iterative revisions of the draft AML-QOL were refined based on feedback from 16 patients, 8 medical providers, and 3 psychometricians. The instrument underwent factor analysis based on responses from 202 patients with AML and analogous aggressive myeloid neoplasms receiving AML-like therapy. A prospective validation study was then undertaken in 50 patients who completed the AML-QOL at multiple time points while undergoing a cycle of intensive chemotherapy to establish test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change. The final AML-QOL contains 27 items and is categorized into 5 domains (Physical, Social, Cognitive, Anxiety, Depression), one Symptom Index, a single item assessing overall quality of life, and a Summary Score. The AML-QOL domains show high internal consistency (median alpha: 0.85), good test-retest reliability (median interclass correlation: 0.82), and had convergent and divergent validity when compared to a non-disease-specific instrument (the EORTC QLQ-C30). The Summary Score demonstrated good sensitivity to change when anchored to patient perception of QOL change. The AML-QOL is a reliable and valid measure of QOL in patients with AML and analogous aggressive myeloid neoplasms. A clinically meaningful difference is 8-10 points out of 100 on the Summary Score.