Measuring What Matters to Individuals with Angelman Syndrome and Their Families: Development of a Patient-Centered Disease Concept Model.

Publication Year
2021

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a complex, heterogeneous, and life-long neurodevelopmental disorder. Despite the considerable impact on individuals and caregivers, no disease-modifying treatments are available. To support holistic clinical management and the development of AS-specific outcome measures for clinical studies, we conducted primary and secondary research identifying the impact of symptoms on individuals with AS and their unmet need. This qualitative research adopted a rigorous step-wise approach, aggregating information from published literature, then evaluating it via disease concept elicitation interviews with clinical experts and caregivers. We found that the AS-defining concepts most relevant for treatment included: impaired expressive communication, seizures, maladaptive behavior, cognitive impairment, motor function difficulties, sleep disturbance, and limited self-care abilities. We highlight the relevance of age in experiencing these key AS concepts, and the difference between the perceptions of clinicians and caregivers towards the syndrome. Finally, we outline the impact of AS on individuals, caregivers, and families.

Journal
Child psychiatry and human development
Volume
52
Issue
4
Pages
654-668
Date Published
08/2021
ISSN Number
1573-3327
Alternate Journal
Child Psychiatry Hum Dev
PMCID
PMC8238699
PMID
32880036