Validation of the Danish translation of the atrial fibrillation severity scale: a study on linguistic and cultural adaptation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) stands as the most common cardiac arrhythmia on a global scale with a substantial symptom burden impacting the quality of life (QoL) of patients with AF. Consequently, assessing and monitoring symptoms in patients with AF has gained increased interest, leading to a rise in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). PROMs provide valuable insights into the patient's perspective, allowing for a more patient-centric approach to care. One of these PROMs is the Atrial Fibrillation Severity Scale (AFSS), a convenient and straightforward instrument for assessing symptom severity in patients with AF, potentially enabling healthcare professionals to tailor interventions accordingly. However, no Danish version of AFSS exists. This study aims to translate and linguistically validate the AFSS in accordance with MAPI Research Trust Guidelines.

Methods: The translation of AFSS from English to Danish was conducted using forward and backward translation, yielding versions 1 and 2, respectively. Afterwards, the translated AFSS was linguistically validated in patients with AF by cognitive interviews producing a third version. The third version was then proofread, finalizing the Danish version of AFSS.

Results: Derived from the cognitive interviews, the Danish version of AFSS demonstrated comprehensibility and readability among all included patients with AF. No revisions were deemed necessary based on the patient testing, culminating in the submission of the final version of AFSS for approval.

Conclusion: A certified and linguistically validated Danish version of the AFSS has been established and is accessible through MAPI Trust Research.