55 Visual Analogue Scale The visual analogue scale (VAS) is the most valid method to assess subjective pain experience.23 It is an easy and quick method consisting of 2 horizontal lines of 100 mm, with the end points at “no pain” at the left and “worst imaginable pain” at the right. The first line is used to indicate the mean level of pain (VASmean) experienced in the past 7 days. The second line is used to indicate the maximal level of pain (VASmax) experienced in the past 7 days. No clear cutoff values are generally used for the VAS score to define groups. Therefore, we defined three groups based on a study on preoperative pain score as marker of postoperative drugs consumption,24 which established a minimal important difference of 30 points. Consequently, we defined “no pain” with a VAS-score below 30, “mild-tomoderate pain” with a VAS-score between 31-60 and “severe pain” with a VAS-score above 60. To simplify our results, we identified no pain (VAS<30) and pain (VAS≥30) for determining the prevalence. The median score of the mean pain per group was used to determine the severity of pain. The results of the mean pain are plotted in the figures, data on the maximum pain is written in text. Restless Legs Syndrome Rating Scale The RLS Rating Scale is an instrument to assess RLS severity.25 The rating scale consists of 10 questions with 5 multiple choice answers ranging from none (0 points) to severe (4 points). A score of 0 points means “no RLS”, 1-10 means “mild RLS”, 11-20 means “moderate RLS”, 21-30 means “severe RLS” and a score between 31-40 means “extreme severe RLS”. To simplify our results, we defined no RLS (RLS<11) and RLS (RLS≥11) for determining the prevalence. The median score per group was used to determine the severity of RLS. Cognitive Failure Questionnaire The cognitive failure questionnaire (CFQ) is a questionnaire assessing everyday failures in attention, perception, memory and motor function.26 The CFQ consists of 25 questions with 5 multiple choice answers ranging from “never” (0 points) to “very often” (4 points). An extreme low score is below 10, a low score ranges between 10-21, a normal score ranges between 21-43, increased cognitive impairment ranges between 44-54 and severe cognitive impairment is present when the CFQ-score is above 54 points.27 To simplify our results we defined no cognitive impairment (CFQ<44) and cognitive impairment (CFQ≥44) for determining the prevalence. The median score per group was used to determine the severity of cognitive failure. Statistics Chi-square test was used to calculate significant differences in prevalence between healthy controls and sarcoidosis patients with and without SFN. Kruskal Wallis was used to calculate significance between the severity of symptoms between the three groups. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to determine the association between the four symptoms only in patients with sarcoidosis with SFN. 58 3
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