Comparison of Interview-Based and Medical-Record Based Indices of Comorbidity Among Breast Cancer Patients

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Abstract
To compare patient interview-based and medical-record based measures of comorbidity and their relation to primary tumor therapy, all cause mortality, self-reported upper body function, and overall physical function. Three-hundred and three breast cancer patients (> or = 55 years) who were diagnosed in 1 of 5 Boston hospitals were enrolled. Patient interviews and medical record abstracts provided the information necessary to construct the Charlson index, Satariano index, and a new interview-based index of cardiopulmonary comorbidity. Those indices were used alone and in combination to predict the patient outcomes. The indices of comorbidity corresponded well with one another. No index of comorbidity predicted mortality or receipt of definitive primary therapy. The new interview-based index of cardiopulmonary comorbidity was a better predictor of upper body function and overall physical function than was the interview-based or medical record-based Charlson or Satariano indices of comorbidity. Older breast cancer patients are able to provide information about their diseases and related symptoms that correlates well with medical record-based measures of comorbidity and displays similar patterns of predictive power. A new self-reported measure of cardiopulmonary comorbidity performs better than the medical record-based measures for predicting patient related functional outcomes.