a key aspect of health or well-being that is considered critically important to define, measure, and report in all clinical trials and other research studies related to a specific health condition or disease. Core domains represent the “what” to measure in a Core Outcome Set and typically number between 5–7 in the final set. They ensure consistency, comparability, and relevance of outcomes across studies.
Synonyms: Core Outcome Domain, Core Outcome
Example
In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the agreed-upon core domains include pain, physical function, joint damage, and patient global assessment. These must be defined, measured, and reported in all RA clinical trials to ensure the outcomes are meaningful and comparable across studies.