Core Outcome Sets and Why We Should Embrace Them.

Abstract

Clinical research aims to enhance the quality of life of our patients and improve the cost-effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. To assess the efficacy and effectiveness of an intervention, clinical researchers employ a variety of outcome measures, which fall under true, surrogate, or composite outcomes categories. Concerning outcome measures, two questions arise: (1) How relevant are these outcomes to our stakeholders (patients, providers, and policymakers)? (2) How accurately do these measures assess the change in the quality of life of our patients after an intervention? The solution to the first question lies in the development of core outcome sets (COS) based on input from stakeholders. To appropriately address the latter question, it is of paramount importance to incorporate dental patient-reported outcome measures (dPROMs) in clinical trials. Therefore, developing COS that include dPROMs for a particular intervention is critical for addressing the above questions and elevating the level of clinical research in the dental field.