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DLQI Score (dlqi + score)
Selected AbstractsAn audit of the value of patch testing and its effect on quality of lifeCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 5 2003P. N. Woo We have assessed the value of patch testing from the patient's perspective and examined the impact of patch testing on their quality of life (QoL). 140 patients were recruited over 5 months. 2 questionnaires were designed to investigate the patient's views on patch testing. The 1st questionnaire was completed at the final visit to the clinic and the 2nd was posted 6 weeks later. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire was completed on both occasions. There was a significant improvement of the DLQI score in all patch-tested subjects (P = 0·003). Patients with involvement of the trunk had worse QoL. At the 4-day visit, 77 patients (55%) expressed the opinion that patch testing had been helpful. 6 weeks later, 71 patients replied. 47 patients were diagnosed as having allergic contact dermatitis: 87% of them found that patch testing had been useful, 91% were able to avoid the allergen(s) and 57% reported improvement/clearing in their skin condition. 58% of the 24 patients with negative results also found that patch testing had been beneficial. Overall, patient perception was that they understood verbal information (92%) better than written information (76%). Patch testing is beneficial to patients, leading to improved QoL. Patient perception was that they understood verbal advice better than written information. [source] Quality of life in patients with lepromatous leprosy in ChinaJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 7 2010J-G An Abstract Background, Leprosy has an impact on patients' quality of life (QoL). However, there has been no study specifically on the impact of the severest type of leprosy-lepromatous leprosy on QoL. Objective, To describe the use of Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) among patients with lepromatous leprosy in China. Methods, Sixty-four inpatients with lepromatous leprosy of Shangluo hospital and Hanzhong hospital and sixty-four controls (healthy volunteers or patients with other dermatoses) matched for age and gender were asked to complete DLQI questionnaires from 2 September 2008 to 20 December 2008. Extensive data were collected besides DLQI, including demographic data and disease-related characteristics. Absence or presence of disability among patients with lepromatous leprosy was evaluated at the same time. Results, The overall mean DLQI score for lepromatous leprosy (18.78) was higher than that for control (9.00) (P < 0.001). Patients with lepromatous leprosy scored significantly higher for all items (P < 0.001) except Q4 (clothes choice). Controls scored significantly lower for all domains of DLQI. Scores of LL increased markedly with increasing clinical severity, but were not associated with educational level, gender, age and disease duration. The inter-item correlation averaged 0.240 and Cronbach's alpha was 0.759, indicating high internal consistency. Conclusions, This is the first exclusive study to attempt to measure the impact of lepromatous leprosy on QoL. Lepromatous leprosy has a severe impact on QoL. [source] How to prescribe antihistamines for chronic idiopathic urticaria: desloratadine daily vs PRN and quality of lifeALLERGY, Issue 4 2009J.-J. Grob Background:, Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) impairs quality of life (QoL). Currently, no consensus exists regarding how second-generation H1 -antihistamines (proven to control CIU symptoms) should be taken long-term: as daily treatment or only when symptoms return (PRN). We sought to determine which regimen improves or better maintains QoL in CIU: desloratadine (DL) daily or PRN. Methods:, Subjects with CIU initially responding to DL 5 mg/day for 4 weeks were randomized for an additional 8 weeks, to DL 5 mg/day (arm 1: ,continuous', n = 46) or to DL only on days when urticarial wheals were present (arm 2: "PRN", n = 60). To ensure blinding, treatment was presented in both arms as a combination of daily treatment (arm 1: DL; arm 2: placebo), plus a "rescue" tablet (arm 1: placebo; arm 2: DL) to be taken only in case of symptoms. The main outcome measure was QoL assessed by the VQ-Dermato, a validated French QoL instrument, and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Results:, At 4 and 8 weeks after randomization, subjects taking continuous DL showed statistically significant improvements in VQ-Dermato Global Index score (P = 0.001 and P = 0.016, respectively) and dimension scores for daily living activity, mood state, and social functioning vs subjects taking DL PRN. Improvement in DLQI score at Week 4 was also significantly greater with continuous DL (P = 0.001). Conclusion:, Continuous daily therapy with DL 5 mg is a better regimen than PRN treatment to maintain or improve QoL in subjects with CIU. [source] Infliximab treatment results in significant improvement in the quality of life of patients with severe psoriasis: a double-blind placebo-controlled trialBRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2005S.R. Feldman Summary Background, Psoriasis is a chronic disease that significantly diminishes the health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Infliximab is a chimeric, tumour necrosis factor , monoclonal antibody that has been shown to improve the signs and symptoms of plaque psoriasis. Objectives, The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of infliximab induction therapy on the HRQOL of patients with severe plaque psoriasis. Methods, In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 249 patients were randomly assigned to receive intravenous infusions of 3 or 5 mg kg,1 of infliximab or placebo and were treated at weeks 0, 2 and 6. Patients completed the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at baseline and week 10. Results, Infliximab induction therapy resulted in a substantial improvement in HRQOL. At week 10, patients in the infliximab 3- and 5-mg kg,1 groups showed a median percentage improvement in DLQI scores of 84·0% and 91·0%, respectively, compared with 0% in the placebo group (P < 0·001). The median decrease from baseline in DLQI score at week 10 was 8·0 and 10·0 for the 3 and 5 mg kg,1 infliximab groups, respectively, compared with 0 in the placebo group (P < 0·001). Thirty-three per cent and 40% of patients in the 3 and 5 mg kg,1 infliximab groups, respectively, had a DLQI score of 0 at week 10, compared with 2% in the placebo group (P < 0·001). There was a strong correlation between the percentage change from baseline at week 10 in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores and the percentage change in DLQI scores during the same period (Spearman's correlation, 0·61, P < 0·001). When the infliximab and placebo treatment groups were combined, patients with at least 75% improvement in PASI scores between baseline and week 10 had a greater mean improvement in DLQI scores (81%) than those with 50,75% improvement in PASI during the same period (60%). Conclusions, Infliximab induction therapy resulted in significant improvement in HRQOL in patients with severe psoriasis. [source] Willingness-to-pay and quality of life in patients with vitiligoBRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2009M.A. Radtke Summary Background, Vitiligo is a chronic pigmentary disorder of the skin, affecting 1,2% of the general population. Although not life threatening, vitiligo may considerably influence patients' health-related quality of life (QoL) and psychological well-being. Willingness-to-pay (WTP) is a construct reflecting disease burden and QoL reduction which has not yet been used in vitiligo. Objectives, To assess the WTP and the QoL of patients with vitiligo. Methods, Patients with vitiligo were included in a nationwide German postal survey. WTP was assessed by two standardized items, and QoL was evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaire. QoL data were compared with n = 1511 patients from a national survey on psoriasis. Results, The questionnaire was completed by 1023 patients (71·5% women, mean age 44·4 years, mean disease duration 20·3 years) with vitiligo. The mean DLQI was 7·0 (7·5 in women, 5·5 in men) compared with 8·6 in psoriasis. Of the patients with vitiligo, 24·6% had a DLQI > 10 which indicates severe QoL reductions, compared with 34·1% in patients with psoriasis. The highest mean DLQI value was observed in the patient group aged 20,29 years. EQ-5D mean score was 83·6 compared with 75·3 in psoriasis. Of the patients with vitiligo, 32·9% would pay more than 5000 Euro in order to achieve complete disease remission. WTP was highest among middle-aged patients (30,60 years). There was a significant correlation between DLQI scores and WTP (,2 = 65·43, P < 0·001). Moreover, WTP significantly correlated with duration of disease, and with body surface area affected (P < 0·001). Conclusions, Vitiligo causes substantial disease burden as reflected by QoL impairment and high WTP, especially in women. These results should draw the attention of physicians to this disease, as appropriate education and treatment are likely to improve the QoL of patients with vitiligo and may support patients' compliance and empowerment. [source] The Family Dermatology Life Quality Index: measuring the secondary impact of skin diseaseBRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2007M.K.A. Basra Summary, Background, Skin diseases are known to have a major impact on the lives of patients and their families. Many instruments are available to measure the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients but no measure has been developed so far to quantify the secondary impact on family members of the patients. Objectives, To develop and validate a dermatology-specific instrument to measure the adverse impact on the HRQoL of family members of patients with skin disease. Methods, Detailed semi-structured interviews were conducted with family members of patients to identify different aspects of HRQoL affected. An initial draft version of the questionnaire based on the main topic areas was pilot tested to assess the face and content validity. A 10-item questionnaire, the Family Dermatology Life Quality Index (FDLQI), was finalized after modifications to the draft questionnaire based on feedback from families and dermatology professionals and on item reduction. Psychometric evaluation was conducted on a new cohort of family members (n = 132) who completed the FDLQI and the patients (n = 109) who completed the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Results, Fifty-nine different aspects of family members' HRQoL were identified from the analysis of the interviews, which were categorized into main topic areas. Factor analysis of 10 items of the final questionnaire revealed two factors and together these explained 60% of the common variance. The FDLQI demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's , = 0·88) and test,retest (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0·94) reliabilities. The responsiveness of the instrument to change was shown by significant change in the family members' FDLQI scores in cases where patients' clinical condition either improved or worsened. Construct validity was assessed by testing a number of a priori hypotheses. A strong correlation was seen between the family members' FDLQI scores and patients' DLQI scores (r = 0·69), a significantly higher FDLQI score was seen for inflammatory skin diseases compared with noninflammatory diseases/isolated lesions (P < 0·0001), and there was a positive relationship between the family members' FDLQI scores and patients' disease severity (r = 0·49). Conclusions, The FDLQI is simple and practical and seems to have the potential to be used as an additional outcome measure in clinical practice and evaluation research. [source] Infliximab treatment results in significant improvement in the quality of life of patients with severe psoriasis: a double-blind placebo-controlled trialBRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2005S.R. Feldman Summary Background, Psoriasis is a chronic disease that significantly diminishes the health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Infliximab is a chimeric, tumour necrosis factor , monoclonal antibody that has been shown to improve the signs and symptoms of plaque psoriasis. Objectives, The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of infliximab induction therapy on the HRQOL of patients with severe plaque psoriasis. Methods, In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 249 patients were randomly assigned to receive intravenous infusions of 3 or 5 mg kg,1 of infliximab or placebo and were treated at weeks 0, 2 and 6. Patients completed the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at baseline and week 10. Results, Infliximab induction therapy resulted in a substantial improvement in HRQOL. At week 10, patients in the infliximab 3- and 5-mg kg,1 groups showed a median percentage improvement in DLQI scores of 84·0% and 91·0%, respectively, compared with 0% in the placebo group (P < 0·001). The median decrease from baseline in DLQI score at week 10 was 8·0 and 10·0 for the 3 and 5 mg kg,1 infliximab groups, respectively, compared with 0 in the placebo group (P < 0·001). Thirty-three per cent and 40% of patients in the 3 and 5 mg kg,1 infliximab groups, respectively, had a DLQI score of 0 at week 10, compared with 2% in the placebo group (P < 0·001). There was a strong correlation between the percentage change from baseline at week 10 in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores and the percentage change in DLQI scores during the same period (Spearman's correlation, 0·61, P < 0·001). When the infliximab and placebo treatment groups were combined, patients with at least 75% improvement in PASI scores between baseline and week 10 had a greater mean improvement in DLQI scores (81%) than those with 50,75% improvement in PASI during the same period (60%). Conclusions, Infliximab induction therapy resulted in significant improvement in HRQOL in patients with severe psoriasis. [source] | ||||||||||