Feasibility, face, and content validity of quantitative computed tomography in interstitial lung disease related to connective tissue diseases

Gianluca Sambataro; Domenico Sambataro; Martina Orlandi; Sofia Battisti; Lorenzo Cavagna; Nicola Sverzellati; Mario Silva; Stefano Palmucci; Michele Colaci; Lorenzo Malatino; Alarico Ariani

doi:10.1515/jbcpp-2021-0110

Article

Feasibility, face, and content validity of quantitative computed tomography in interstitial lung disease related to connective tissue diseases

Gianluca Sambataro , Domenico Sambataro , Martina Orlandi , Sofia Battisti , Lorenzo Cavagna , Nicola Sverzellati , Mario Silva , Stefano Palmucci , Michele Colaci , Lorenzo Malatino and Alarico Ariani

Published/Copyright: July 19, 2021

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From the journal Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Volume 33 Issue 4

Abstract

Objectives

Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) is a promising tool for objective assessment of interstitial lung disease (ILD) related to connective tissue diseases (CTD). However, its validity was never investigated. The aim of this study was to assess QCT feasibility, face, and content validity evaluation concerning CTD-ILD.

Methods

A rheumatologist and a chest radiologist conceived an online survey with nine statements: Two about general issue involving CTD-ILD, one for the face validity, three both for content validity and feasibility. Each statement had to be rated with a score from 0 to 100, respectively, (complete disagreement and agreement). We considered a statement supported by the experts if the median score was ≥75.0.

Results

A panel of 14 experts (11 from Europe, three from America) with a nine years median experience was enrolled. All the statements about feasibility, face and content validity were supported, except for QCT capability to recognize elementary lesions.

Conclusions

The panel of experts supported feasibility, face, and content validity of QCT assessment concerning CTD-ILD. This may stimulate a greater use in clinical practice and further studies to confirm its discriminative properties and its construct validity.

Keywords: connective tissue diseases; high resolution chest tomography; interstitial lung disease; quantitative chest tomography; validity

Corresponding author: Domenico Sambataro, Artroreuma SRL, Outpatient of Rheumatology Accredited with Italian National Health System, Corso San Vito 53, Mascalucia, Catania, Italy; and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy, Phone: +390957271894, E-mail: domenico.sambataro@artroreuma.it

Gianluca Sambataro and Domenico Sambataro contributed equally to this work.

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Professors Stefano Bastianello and Daniel Furst for their valuable suggestions.

Research funding: None declared.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission. Conceptualization: GS, DS, AA; methodology: GS, DS, SP, LC, SB, NS, MO, MS, MC, LM, AA; software: SP, SB, NS, MS; validation: LC, MC, LM, AA; formal analysis: GS, DS, AA; investigation: GS, DS, SP, LC, SB, NS, MO, MS, MC, LM, AA; resources: GS, DS, NS, MS, AA; data curation, GS, DS, SP, LC, SB, NS, MO, MS, MC, LM, AA; writing—original draft preparation: GS, DS; writing—review and editing: SP, LC, SB, NS, MO, MS, MC, LM, AA; visualization: GS, DS, SP, LC, SB, NS, MO, MS, MC, LM, AA; supervision: LC, MC, LM, AA; project administration: AA. Each author meets all 4 ICMJE criteria of authorship.
Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
Informed consent: Not applicable.
Ethical approval: Not applicable.

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Received: 2021-06-02

Accepted: 2021-06-28

Published Online: 2021-07-19

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2021-0110

Keywords for this article

connective tissue diseases; high resolution chest tomography; interstitial lung disease; quantitative chest tomography; validity