Improvement in the cutaneous disease activity of patients with dermatomyositis is associated with a better quality of life
Year: 2014
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cutaneous dermatomyositis (DM) disease activity is associated with decreased quality of life. OBJECTIVES: To assess if an improvement in quality of life, as measured by the Skindex-29 and patient-reported itch and pain on a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS), correlated with an improvement in cutaneous DM disease activity. METHODS: Patients with a completed cutaneous DM disease area and severity index [Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index (CDASI)] at two visits separated by at least 2 months were classified into responder (n = 15) and nonresponder (n = 30) groups according to the point change in the CDASI activity scores between visits. Responders had at least a four-point improvement in CDASI activity, indicating clinically relevant improvement. RESULTS: The change from baseline to the follow-up visit of the Skindex-29 subscale scores for the responders vs. the nonresponders were significantly different for emotions (P < 0·01), functioning (P < 0·01) and symptoms (P < 0·01). The change in VAS score between responders and nonresponders was also significant for itch (P = 0·01) and pain (P = 0·04). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of disease subtype, sex, race, age, treatment for DM, smoking history or a history of malignancy within 5 years of a diagnosis of DM. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate that the quality of life of patients with DM improved as their cutaneous disease activity decreased.
Source: British Journal of Dermatology
DOI: 10.1111/bjd.13167
Authors: E.S. Robinson, R. Feng, J. Okawa, V.P. Werth
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2032703603