Changes in quality of life according to changes in Karnofsky score*
| Decrease or no change in Karnofsky score (n=242) | ≥10 point improvement in Karnofsky score (n=276) | ≥20 point improvement in Karnofsky score (n=107) | |
| Change in SF-12 physical component score compared with baseline (Δ PCS) | |||
| Mean (SD) | 1.5 (8.2) | 4.5 (8.0) | 6.5 (7.9) |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 0.8 (−3.3 to 6.5) | 3.3 (−0.4 to 9.9) | 5.4 (1.3 to 11.2) |
| Min, Max | −19 to 30 | −17 to 26 | −16 to 26 |
| P value (compared with decrease or no change) | 0.002 | <0.001 | |
| Change in SF-12 mental component score compared with baseline (Δ MCS) | |||
| Mean (SD) | 0.3 (9.4) | 3.5 (8.9) | 4.4 (9.3) |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 0.0 (−5.6 to 5.8) | 1.6 (−1.9 to 8.8) | 2.2 (−1.6 to 10.0) |
| Min, Max | −29 to 26 | −22 to 44 | −21 to 44 |
| P value (compared with decrease or no change) | 0.035 | 0.013 | |
| Change in EQ-5D score compared with baseline (Δ EQ-5D) | |||
| Mean (SD) | 0.0 (0.2) | 0.1 (0.2) | 0.1 (0.2) |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 0.0 (−0.1 to 0.1) | 0.0 (0.0 to 0.2) | 0.0 (0.0 to 0.2) |
| Min, Max | −1 to 1 | −1 to 1 | −1 to 1 |
| P value (compared with decrease or no change) | 0.040 | 0.001 | |
The patients with ≥20 point improvement in the Karnofsky score (n=107) are also included in the group of patients with ≥10 point improvement (n=267). Unadjusted p values are from median comparison with ‘Decrease or No Change in Karnofsky Score’ group.