Predicting EQ-5D-5L Utility Scores from the Oswestry Disability Index and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire for Low Back Pain

BACKGROUND: Cost utility analysis is important for measuring the impact of chronic disease and helps clinicians and policymakers in patient management and policy decisions, but generic preference-based measures are not always considered in clinical studies. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL)-specific questionnaires used in chronic low back pain (CLBP) can predict EQ-5D-5L utility scores. METHODS: The data come from an online survey on low back pain conducted between October 2018 and January 2019. Health utility scores for EuroQol Five Dimensions Five Levels (EQ-5D-5L) were calculated with the recommended model of Xie et al. The EQ-5D-5L health states ranged from −0.148 for the worst (55555) to 0.949 for the best (11111). Univariate and multivariate linear regression were performed to predict EQ-5D-5L with Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and clinical variables. RESULTS: Analyses were performed in 408 subjects who completed the questionnaires EQ-5D-5L, ODI or RMDQ. Median (range) of EQ-5D-5L was 0.622 (−0.072 to 0.905). There was high correlation between EQ-5D-5L and ODI (r=−0.78, p<0.001), while it was moderate with RMDQ (r=−0.62, p<0.001). The multivariate model to predict EQ-5D-5L with ODI explained 67.6% of variability, and the correlation between actual and predicted EQ-5D-5L was 0.82. Principal predictors were ODI, duration of LBP, invalidity, health satisfaction (0–10 cm), life satisfaction (0–10 cm), and intensity of pain today (0–10 cm). CONCLUSION: Data from this study demonstrated that individual correlation between ODI and EQ-5D-5L was high, but moderate with RMDQ. Correlations between actual and predicted EQ-5D-5L from multivariate models were higher and very high. Considering these results, the multivariate model can be used in similar studies for patient with CLBP to estimate the utility scores from the ODI when the EQ-5D-5L was not measured.