The relationship between corticosteroids and symptoms in patients with primary brain tumors: Utility of the Dexamethasone Symptom Questionnaire-Chronic

Background. Corticosteroids can have many side effects that impact the patient's quality of life and functional status. The Dexamethasone Symptom Questionnaire-Chronic (DSQ-C) was developed to report corticosteroid side effects. This study's objective was to evaluate the utility of the DSQ-C and report associated signs and symptoms in brain tumor patients. Methods. Data collection included demographic and disease characteristics and the DSQ-C. Descriptive statistics were used to report associations among variables. Linear regression models were applied to assess the effects of the cumulative daily dose (mg/d×total d) on DSQ-C scores. Psychometrics included factor analysis to assess construct validity and Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency. Results. Ninety-six adult patients with primary (77%) or metastatic (23%) brain tumors participated, with 74% on corticosteroids. Participants were primarily white (83%) males (65%) between 20 and 75 years of age (median, 53). Median corticosteroid dose duration was 4 mg/day for 1 month (range, 0-26 mo). The DSQ-C scores ranged from 17 to 54 (mean of 27), with 35% reporting increased appetite and trouble sleeping. Factor analysis indicated 6 underlying constructs explaining 53% of variance. DSQ-C internal consistency (reliability) was 0.77. The DSQ-C discriminated between patients who were on steroids and those who were not (P,.01), and cumulative dose predicted DSQ-C scores (P,.001). Conclusions. This study demonstrated the potential use of the DSQ-C as a screening tool for side effects associated with corticosteroid use in brain tumor patients. Future analyses should include longitudinal evaluation of severity and biologic underpinnings of variability of timing and severity of symptoms.