BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) for patients with inflammatory skin disease can be significant, but has been evaluated in just one study in dermatomyositis (DM). OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the relationship between the Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Area (CDASI) and Severity Index, a DM-specific cutaneous severity instrument, and various QoL study instruments and to determine the impact of DM on QoL. METHODS: Skin-specific QoL instruments, the Skindex and the Dermatology Life Quality Index, and global medical QoL instruments, the Short Form 36 and the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, were used. Pruritus was evaluated by a visual analog scale and a 0-to-10 scale in DM and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) populations, respectively. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between the CDASI and all skin-specific QoL scores (lowest P = .0377). Using the Short Form 36, DM population was found to have significantly worse QoL scores than the general population with the exception of bodily pain (all subscore P values < .01). Furthermore, DM had a significantly lower vitality score, representing energy level, compared with CLE, hypertension, diabetes, and recent myocardial infarction scores (lowest P = .003). There was a significantly lower mental health score, representing overall mood, to all compared diseases except CLE and clinical depression (P values < .01 when significant). We found that DM produces more pruritus than CLE (P < .0001). LIMITATIONS: A larger patient population needs to be studied to further assess QoL in patients with DM. CONCLUSION: We conclude that DM has a large impact on QoL, even when compared with other diseases, and that DM skin disease activity correlates with a poorer QoL. Published by Mosby, Inc.
BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) for patients with inflammatory skin disease can be significant, but has been evaluated in just one study in dermatomyositis (DM). OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the relationship between the Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Area (CDASI) and Severity Index, a DM-specific cutaneous severity instrument, and various QoL study instruments and to determine the impact of DM on QoL. METHODS: Skin-specific QoL instruments, the Skindex and the Dermatology Life Quality Index, and global medical QoL instruments, the Short Form 36 and the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, were used. Pruritus was evaluated by a visual analog scale and a 0-to-10 scale in DM and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) populations, respectively. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between the CDASI and all skin-specific QoL scores (lowest P = .0377). Using the Short Form 36, DM population was found to have significantly worse QoL scores than the general population with the exception of bodily pain (all subscore P values < .01). Furthermore, DM had a significantly lower vitality score, representing energy level, compared with CLE, hypertension, diabetes, and recent myocardial infarction scores (lowest P = .003). There was a significantly lower mental health score, representing overall mood, to all compared diseases except CLE and clinical depression (P values < .01 when significant). We found that DM produces more pruritus than CLE (P < .0001). LIMITATIONS: A larger patient population needs to be studied to further assess QoL in patients with DM. CONCLUSION: We conclude that DM has a large impact on QoL, even when compared with other diseases, and that DM skin disease activity correlates with a poorer QoL. Published by Mosby, Inc.
Authors: N Bellamy; M Boers; D Felson; J Fries; D Furst; D Henry; M Liang; D Lovell; L March; V Strand Journal: J Rheumatol Date: 1995-06 Impact factor: 4.666
Authors: C O Anyanwu; D F Fiorentino; L Chung; C Dzuong; Y Wang; J Okawa; K Carr; K J Propert; V P Werth Journal: Br J Dermatol Date: 2015-08-11 Impact factor: 9.302
Authors: Neera S Narang; Livia Casciola-Rosen; Shufeng Li; Lorinda Chung; David F Fiorentino Journal: Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) Date: 2015-05 Impact factor: 4.794