OBJECTIVES: To identify utility-based patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and appraise existing evidence on their measurement properties. Secondly, to link their items to the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) and the International Consortium of Health Outcome Measures (ICHOM) domains for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

METHODS: Eight databases were searched. The review followed the COSMIN and JBI guidelines for measurement properties systematic reviews and PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines. Non-experimental and observational empirical studies of patients ≥18 years of age with CVD undergoing CR and assessed quality of life (QoL) or HRQoL using utility-based PROMs or one accompanied by health state utilities were included.

RESULTS: Nine PROMs were identified with evidence on measurement properties for three measures: the German translations of SF-12, EQ-5D-5L, and MacNew heart disease HRQoL questionnaire. There was moderate quality evidence for responsiveness and hypothesis testing of the SF-12 and EQ-5D-5L, and high-quality evidence for responsiveness and hypothesis testing for the MacNew.

All items of SF-12 and EQ-5D were linked to ICF categories, but four items of the MacNew were not classified or not defined. All the PROM domains were mapped onto similar constructs from the ICHOM global sets.

CONCLUSIONS: Currently, only three utility-based PROMs have been validated in CR: the German versions of the generic EQ-5D and SF-12 and the MacNew questionnaire. These PROMs are linked to a breadth of ICF categories and all ICHOM global sets. Additional validation studies of PROMs in CR are required.