OBJECTIVE: Several studies have demonstrated small but statistically significant differences in quality-of-life (QOL) scores among @entity5513 ( @entity5513 ) treatment modalities. However, does a several-point difference on a 100-point scale really matter? The @entity922 ( @entity922 )-defined as the smallest difference in scores that @entity1 perceive as important and that could lead to a change in management-was developed to answer this important question. While the @entity922 has been determined for QOL measures used in other diseases, it remains undefined in the @entity5513 literature. STUDY DESIGN: Distribution- and anchor-based techniques were utilized to define the @entity922 for the Penn @entity5513 Quality of Life (PANQOL) and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). SETTING: Two academic referral centers. @entity1 : @entity1 with @entity5513 (N = 538). INTERVENTION: Cross-sectional postal survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: @entity922 for PANQOL domains and total score and SF-36 Physical and Mental Health Component Summary scores. RESULTS: The @entity922 (median, interquartile range) for the PANQOL total score was 11 points (10-12); the MCIDs for individual domains were as follows: hearing, 6 (5-8); balance, 16 (14-19); facial, 10 (no interquartile range); @entity158 , 11 (10-13); energy, 13 (10-17); @entity148 , 11 (5-22); and general, 15 (11-19). The @entity922 was 7 points (6-11) for the SF-36 Mental Health Component Summary score and 8 points (6-10) for the Physical Health Component Summary score. CONCLUSIONS: The MCIDs determined in the current study generally exceed differences reported in previous prospective studies, in which conclusions about QOL benefit (or harm) among @entity5513 treatment modalities were based on statistical significance alone. Moving forward, these MCIDs should be considered when interpreting results of @entity5513 QOL studies.

The Minimal Clinically Important Difference in XXXX Quality-of-Life Assessment: An Important Step beyond P < .05.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'PATIENTS'] @entity5513 :: ('MESH:D009464', 'Disease') :: ['Acoustic Neuroma', 'VS', 'vestibular schwannoma'] @entity148 :: ('MESH:D001008', 'Disease') :: ['anxiety'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['pain'] @entity922 :: ('MESH:D013568', 'Disease') :: ['minimal clinically important difference', 'MCID']
@entity5513 :: (MESH:D009464,Disease) :: ['Vestibular Schwannoma']
