MDASI AML/MDS Module
The MD Anderson Symptom Inventory for acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (MDASI-AML/MDS) is a disease site-specific module. Use the MDASI-AML/MDS to assess the severity of symptoms experienced by patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome and the interference with daily living caused by these symptoms.
Along with the core MDASI’s 13 symptom items and 6 interference items, the MDASI-AML/MDS also assesses 4 symptom items specific to acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.
| Core MDASI Symptoms | AML/MDS Symptoms | MDASI Interference |
|---|---|---|
| Pain | Malaise (not feeling well) | Relations with other people |
| Fatigue | Diarrhea (loose stools) | Enjoyment of life |
| Nausea | Muscle weakness | Mood |
| Disturbed sleep | Skin problems | Walking |
| Distress (feeling upset) | Activity | |
| Shortness of breath | Work (including housework) | |
| Difficulty remembering | ||
| Lack of appetite | ||
| Drowsiness | ||
| Dry mouth | ||
| Sadness | ||
| Vomiting | ||
| Numbness/tingling |
Order the MDASI-AML/MDS
MDASI-AML/MDS Features
- Purpose: To assess the severity of multiple symptoms related to AML/MDS and the impact of these symptoms on daily functioning
- Population: Patients with symptoms caused by AML/MDS and their treatment
- Assessment areas: Severity of multiple symptoms and the impact of symptoms on daily functioning during the last 24 hours
- Method: Self-report or interview with research staff; paper-and-pencil or electronic data entry*
- Time required: Five minutes or less
- Scoring: Please see the MDASI User Guide
- Reliability: Cronbach alpha reliability ranges from 0.88 to 0.91
*Electronic data capture offers several benefits:
- Allows symptom monitoring when the patient is away from the hospital
- Is convenient for patients, who can choose web access, personalized patient portals, or smartphones to access questionnaires
- Minimizes missing data, especially in longitudinal studies
- Provides accurate, real-time symptom data at expected time points
- Generates immediate feedback, potentially allowing caregivers to address severe symptoms more effectively
MDASI-AML/MDS Language Versions
Click on a linked language to view a sample in PDF format.
Don't see a language you need? Contact us at symptomresearch@mdanderson.org.
| Psychometrically and Linguistically Validated | Linguistically Validated |
|---|---|
| English | Arabic (in process) |
| Thai | Chinese (Simplified - in process) |
| Chinese (Traditional - in process) | |
| Croatian (in process) | |
| Dutch | |
| Finnish (in process) | |
| French | |
| German | |
| Italian (in process) | |
| Japanese (in process) | |
| Korean (in process) | |
| Malay (in process) | |
| Norwegian (in process) | |
| Polish (in process) | |
| Romanian (in process) | |
| Russian (in process) | |
| Spanish |
MDASI User Guide
In response to the US Food and Drug Administration's 2009 guidance for the pharmaceutical industry on the use of patient-reported outcomes measures in medical product development to support labeling claims, we have prepared a MDASI User Guide to document the development and psychometric properties of the MDASI and its modules, including the MDASI-AML/MDS. The User Guide addresses the recommendations in the FDA guidance and establishes the MDASI's adequacy as a measure to support medical product claims.
Selected MDASI-AML/MDS References
Validation
Rattanathammethee T, Wongkhut O, Punnachet T, et al. Psychometric properties of MD Anderson Symptoms Inventory for acute myeloid leukemia patients in Thailand. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 23(9):3167-3172, 2022.
Williams LA, Garcia Gonzalez AG, Ault P, et al. Measuring the symptom burden associated with the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. Blood 122(5): 641-7, 2013.
Cleeland CS, Mendoza TR, Wang XS, et al. Assessing symptom distress in cancer: the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory. Cancer 89:1634-1646, 2000.
Clinical Application
Yennurajalingam S, Konopleva M, Carmack CL, et al. Treatment of cancer-related-fatigue in acute hematological malignancies: results of a feasibility study of using cognitive behavioral therapy. J Pain Symptom Manage 65(3):e189-e197, 2023.
Williams LA, Ahaneku H, Cortes JE, et al. Comparison of symptom burden in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) [abstract]. American Society of Hematology (ASH) 56th Annual Meeting and Exposition, San Francisco CA, Dec 6-9, 2014. Blood 124(21), 2014; Abstract # 2652.
Every MDASI module contains:
all 13 core MDASI symptoms...
pain, fatigue, nausea, disturbed sleep, distress, shortness of breath, difficulty remembering, lack of appetite, drowsiness, dry mouth, sadness, vomiting, numbness/tingling
...and all 6 MDASI interference items
general activity, mood, work, relations with others, walking, enjoyment of life
The MDASI-AML/MDS is an easily administered and scored measure of symptom burden that can be used in clinical practice for consistent routine symptom assessment and in research to develop evidence for effective symptom-management interventions.
Loretta A. Williams, Ph.D., R.N.
Associate Professor, Symptom Research