Content Comparison of Health-Related Quality of Life Measures in Heart Failure Based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health: A Systematic Review Protocol

Background: Unraveling the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instruments and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) seems essential due to the increasing importance of quality of life evaluations in patients with heart failure (HF) and the use of the ICF for comparative purposes. The aim of this study is to identify and compare the content of HRQOL instruments for HF using the ICF coding system. Methods : In a 2-stage design, first we will identify all measures used to assess HRQOL for patients with HF and second we will compare the content of those measures using the ICF coding system. Systematic search will be performed in in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus databases using a combination of free texts and MeSH terms between January 1960 and January 2017. All instruments will be linked to the ICF separately by 2 reviewers according to 10 linking rules developed for this purpose. The degree of agreement between the reviewers will be calculated via the kappa statistic. Discussion: The results of this study may help clinicians and researchers to select the most appropriate outcome measure according to the ICF-based content validity.