Fri-10-02-2012, 15:09 PM
Background: Severity assessment of patients with psoriasis is a critical issue. Classical clinical assessment has been recently combined with quality of life (QoL) scores, but a number of instruments are used. Moreover, studies have focus on patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.
Objectives: To compare the characteristics of QoL instruments in patients with the full range of psoriasis severity attending dermatology clinics.
Methods: Observational, prospective, multicentre study. Patients completed Skindex-29 (anchor) and a second instrument randomly selected from Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI), and Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (SF-36).
Results: Demographic data, PASI and BSA were not different between the 3 groups. Skindex showed a weak but significant correlation with clinical severity; only PDI showed similar correlation. PDI, DLQI and SF-36 had substantial floor effect in patients with mild to severe psoriasis. Skindex showed strong correlations with the other 3 QoL instruments. SF-36 was more sensitive that the other instruments in detecting worse QoL in male patients.
Conclusion: Skindex has better sensitivity to clinical severity with minimal floor effect, and cover the main domains explored by the other 3 QoL instruments in patients with mild to severe psoriasis.
Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Objectives: To compare the characteristics of QoL instruments in patients with the full range of psoriasis severity attending dermatology clinics.
Methods: Observational, prospective, multicentre study. Patients completed Skindex-29 (anchor) and a second instrument randomly selected from Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI), and Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (SF-36).
Results: Demographic data, PASI and BSA were not different between the 3 groups. Skindex showed a weak but significant correlation with clinical severity; only PDI showed similar correlation. PDI, DLQI and SF-36 had substantial floor effect in patients with mild to severe psoriasis. Skindex showed strong correlations with the other 3 QoL instruments. SF-36 was more sensitive that the other instruments in detecting worse QoL in male patients.
Conclusion: Skindex has better sensitivity to clinical severity with minimal floor effect, and cover the main domains explored by the other 3 QoL instruments in patients with mild to severe psoriasis.
Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com