scholarly journals Hand Eczema: Quality of Life and Disease Severity in an Outpatient Portuguese Population

2018 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-142
Author(s):  
Rui Pedro Santos ◽  
Laura Igreja ◽  
Cristina Resende ◽  
Teresa Pereira ◽  
Celeste Brito

Introduction: Hand eczema is a very common disease with a significant social and occupational impact.Objectives: To characterize a Portuguese outpatient population with hand eczema; to evaluate the impairment of the disease in quality of life (QoL); to relate the disease severity with QoL.Methods: The authors designed a prospective study. Information about atopy, psoriasis, occupational exposure and duration of disease, was recorded. The QoL was assessed by the DLQI questionnaire (Dermatology Life Quality Index) and the severity was assessed using the hand eczema severity index (HECSI). All participants were patch tested.Results: Eighty-five patients were included with a female predominance (78.8%). The median DLQI was 9.0. We found statistically significant differences in the variable HECSI between genders with greater impact in males. A significant positive correlation was found between HECSI and DLQI. DLQI and HECSI were independent of atopy, psoriasis or etiology. Increasing age significantly affects DLQI but not HECSI.Conclusions: Hand eczema has a significant impact in QoL. Although the disease is more prevalent among women it was found to be of greater severity among men. The QoL seems to be influenced by disease severity and increasing age but it was independent of the other studied variables.

Author(s):  
Alemeh KHADEMI ◽  
Parvin MANSURI ◽  
Daryoush PAHLEVAN ◽  
Mahbubeh BOZORG ◽  
Malihe NASIRI ◽  
...  

Background: Hand Eczema (HE) is chronic skin disease with a high prevalence in population. It has negative impact on the quality of life. Due to the public interest in herbal remedies, we attempt to assess the efficacy of pumpkin ointment in treatment of chronic HE in this research. Methods: This study was conducted in an outpatient clinic at Imam-Khomeini Hospital in Tehran (Iran) from May 2015 to Nov 2016. We performed a double-blind trial on 60 patients with chronic HE randomized to four groups included pumpkin, betamethasone, eucerin and almond ointment (n=15 for each group) for 28 days. Patients were ordered to apply ointments twice a day. Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) of the patients were evaluated by a dermatologist on the 1st, 14th and 28th d after the start of treatment. Results: Patients’ DLQI scores in pumpkin and betamethasone group was significant and pumpkin group showed a better response in quality of life (P=0.001). Betamethasone and pumpkin ointment were effective and showed significant improvement compared with almond and eucerin and reduce HECSI scores (P=0.002 and P=0.012 respectively). Betamethasone ointment outcome on HECSI scores in comparison with topical pumpkin was significant (P<0.001). No clinically adverse effects were observed. Conclusion: Although pumpkin ointment showed a better response in patients’ DLQI in HE but it was less effective than betamethasone in decreasing HECSI.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jalal Maghfour ◽  
Torunn Elise Sivesind ◽  
Cory A. Dunnick ◽  
Robert Paul Dellavalle

BACKGROUND While there has been an increase in the number of randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating treatment efficacy for HS, instrument measurements of disease severity and quality of life (QoL) are varied, making compilation of data and comparison between studies a challenge for clinicians. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to evaluate trends in disease severity scales and patient reported outcome measures used in RCTs assessing treatment interventions among HS patients. METHODS A primary systematic literature review was conducted in August 2020. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were used to identify all articles published from January 1964 to July 2020. The study was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (ID: 209582). Twenty-five articles were included in the systematic review. RESULTS Sartorius and modified Sartorius scores (n=8), and Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical score (HiSCs) (n=8) were the most commonly used instruments for disease severity. Participants’ pain, followed by Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), were the most common QoL measures used in the reviewed studies. CONCLUSIONS Heterogeneity of data characterizing both the validity and reliability of existing outcome measures hinders interpretation and translation of the results from RCTs into clinical practice. Many of the QoL measures identified were not specific to HS and may not be representative of all factors impacting patients.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 216-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Agrawal ◽  
A Rijal ◽  
S Bhattarai

Background Patch testing has previously been shown to influence the quality of life, although a very few studies have shown if this is dependent on the result of the patch tests. Objective To assess the impact of patch testing on the quality of life (QOL) in patients with hand eczema (HE). Methods A total of 50 patients diagnosed of hand eczema at the time of patch testing, aged 16 years and above participated in this study. Detailed demographic information and diagnosis of hand eczema were collected on the day of the patch test. After six weeks, the patients were asked about the hand eczema, knowledge of their allergies and change in their life style to avoid the relevant allergens demonstrated on the patch test. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was used to measure the QOL on both occasions. Results The patch test positivity was found in 68% of patients to one or more allergens. The sum score of DLQI at baseline was 12.16 ± 5.58 with median 12.0. HE had most impact on symptoms and feelings. Patients with both positive patch test (mean baseline= 11.94± 5.88; mean at six weeks=2.81± 2.01; P<0.001) and negative patch test (mean baseline=12.63± 5.03; mean at 6 weeks=5.4± 3.56; P=0.001) showed significant improvement in DLQI scores, however it was more improved in patients with positive patch test than in patients with negative patch test. Conclusions Hand eczema had an appreciable impact on the QOL. Patch testing had been beneficial to most patients in improving patient quality of life considerably. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/kumj.v11i3.12506 Kathmandu Univ Med J 2013; 43(3):216-220


Folia Medica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-93
Author(s):  
Lyubomir A. Dourmishev ◽  
Karolina Lyubomirova

Introduction: Treatment with ultraviolet light is a well-established and effective treatment option for mild to moderate psoriasis. The aims of the study were to measure the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) reduction after narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB UVB) therapy, to evaluate the quality of life before and after treatment using the dermatology life quality index (DLQI), and to compare the clinical effectiveness with quality of life improvement. &nbsp; Material and methods: Twenty two patients (13 male and 9 female patients), aged between 21 to 70 years (mean age 40&plusmn;14.65 years) were enrolled in the study. NB UVB treatment was performed with 10 to 25 (mean 18.5; SD 3.39) procedures with cumulative doses of 5 to 19.4 J/cm2. The baseline median PASI score was 20.027 which decreased after therapy to 11.11. More than PASI 50% reduction was achieved in 40.91% of the patients after at least 6 weeks of treatment and the results are highly statistically significant. Quality of life (QoL) assessed using DLQI was found moderately affected by disease pretreatment. NB UVB therapy significantly increased DLQI score in spectrum of &lsquo;symptoms and feelings&rsquo; and &lsquo;treatment&rsquo;. &nbsp; Discussion: The PASI score reduction that we observed after NB-UVB therapy is consistent with the results reported by other authors. Baseline DLQI scores were indicative of moderate QoL impairments associated with disease. At the same time, the reduction of the DLQI index corresponding to improved QoL correlated with the objective clinical symptom assessment.&nbsp; &nbsp; Conclusion: Our data suggest that DLQI and PASI indexes are important complementary methods for comprehensive health assessment of patients with psoriasis.&nbsp;


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-41
Author(s):  
Prajwal Pudasaini ◽  
Saraswoti Neupane

Introduction: Melasma is an acquired hyper melanosis that becomes more pronounced after sun exposure. Centro facial which is the commonest pattern followed by Malar and Mandibular are three clinical patterns of Melasma. Genetic influences, exposure to UV radiation, pregnancy, hormonal therapies, contribute to the pathogenesis of melasma. Melasma may considerably have significant effect on quality of life of patients.   Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of melasma in quality of life (QoL) in the form of DLQI (Dermatology Life Quality Index) and severity of melasma according to Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI).   Materials and Methods: This is a hospital based cross-sectional prospective study conducted in 193 Melasma patients in the Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Gandaki Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Pokhara from November 2018 to November 2019. MASI score was calculated and the patients were provided with a Nepali version of DLQI to fill up.   Results: This study included 193 patients. Mean age of patients with melasma was 29.4 ± 8.5 years with maximum reported age of 59 years. The Mean age of onset of disease was 26.5 years. The Mean age of onset of disease had little impact on DLQI. The mean DLQI score was 10.9 ± 5.9, thus indicating “very large effect on patient’s life”. The mean MASI score was 6.6 ± 5.2. It was found that there was no correlation between severity of disease and DLQI scores (p=0.317) Conclusion: Melasma commonly affected females during second and third decades of life. It had a very large effect on patient’s life as assessed by DLQI.    


2004 ◽  
Vol 8 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 20-25
Author(s):  
Alan Menter

Patients with psoriasis may experience impaired psychosocial mental status regardless of their objectively defined disease severity. The objective clinical measures of disease that are commonly used to evaluate a patient's psoriasis fail to take into account the effect of psoriasis on patients' quality of life (QOL). As a result, a significant number of patients are dissatisfied with conventional treatments and are searching for new options. A high unmet need for effective and safe long-term therapies that can also improve patients' QOL exists in psoriasis. Alefacept, a selective biologic agent specifically designed for the treatment of psoriasis, provides improvement in both the physical (as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) and mental (as measured by the Dermatology Life Quality Index) aspects of the disease. Additionally, alefacept is extremely well tolerated, with no negative effect on QOL, and the improvement in QOL is maintained off-treatment, which is consistent with its remittive effects on the disease. Alefacept helps fulfill the needs of psoriasis patients by providing efficacy, safety, off-treatment remissions, and improvement in QOL.


Author(s):  
Sarah H. Abdulridha ◽  
Dheyaa J. Kadhim ◽  
Sarmad A. Abdul Razzak

Psoriasis is a dermatological, chronic, immune-mediated condition. Psoriasis symptoms are not associated with physical burden only, but it may also have psychosocial effects on patients, diminished cognitive control, poor body image and impairments in everyday life. The value of quality of life is important since improving it is the principal goal for non-curative disease. The aim of the current study was to evaluate quality of life in a sample of Iraqi patients with psoriasis. This study is a cross-sectional study that involved 300 already diagnosed psoriasis patients who attended to the center of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical City/Baghdad. The mean age of patients was (35.156 ±10.549 years). The Arabic version of Dermatology Life Quality Index was used to assess quality of life.  The mean total score is 11.29± 5.45 and the majority of the patients (53.7%) had a total score of more than 10, which indicates a significant deterioration in patients’ quality of life. The greatest impact was found in symptoms and feelings (mean = 1.66 ± 0.75) while the lowest impact was noted in personal relationships (0.51± 0.65). Increasing age and monthly income as well as vulgaris type of psoriasis associated significantly better quality of life. While Psoriasis Area and Severity Index associated significantly worse quality of life. In conclusion, psoriasis exerts significant, negative impact on patients’ quality of life, especially among those with younger age, lower monthly income, high disease activity, and types of psoriasis other than vulgaris.   


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Ilias Papadimitriou ◽  
Katerina Bakirtzi ◽  
Alexander Katoulis ◽  
Dimitrios Ioannides

Scalp-localized psoriasis is common among patients affected with plaque psoriasis, rendering its treatment exceedingly difficult. Furthermore, the symptoms caused by the disease like scaling, erythema, and pruritus, among others, pose a major psychological impact and a significant regression in the quality of life of the affected patients. Biologics have proved their efficacy in assuaging the symptoms, in terms of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) reduction, and offering optimum quality of life, by decreasing the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in the patients suffering from plaque psoriasis. Herein, we sought to evaluate the efficacy of biologics and small molecules in controlling the symptoms and their ability to offer long-term maintenance in the disease activity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hacer Uyanikoglu ◽  
Mustafa Aksoy

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of melasma on quality of life (QoL) using the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) questionnaire in a group of outpatients. This study is questionnairebased. A total of 101 Turkish women suffering from melasma, who themselves were able to understand and complete the Turkish version of the DLQI questionnaire, were enrolled. This questionnaire included 10 questions; each of each was scored on a scale of 0-3, with a maximum score of 30. The data were analyzed after the results had been collated and the higher the DLQI score, the poorer the QoL. The participants’ mean age was 29.53±6.87 years, and mean DLQI score was 6.02±4.94. When we divided the participants into two subgroups according to age, the DLQI scores for younger and older individuals were 7.44±4.99 and 4.33±4.36, respectively (P=0.001). When the melasma area and severity index (MASI) score was used, participants with mild and moderate disease had mean DLQI scores of 5.80±4.72 and 7.11±5.90, respectively. No patient had severe disease. Melasma might affect the participants’ QoL, especially that of the younger individuals, in our study population.


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