Correlation between quality of life and disease severity of pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dermatology
• Quality of Life Research
• Chronic Skin Disease Management

Background:

• Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin condition affecting children, characterized by impaired skin barrier function.
• AD significantly impacts patients' quality of life (QoL), encompassing physical and psychosocial well-being.
• Assessing QoL is crucial for comprehensive patient care and management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the quality of life (QoL) in pediatric patients diagnosed with atopic dermatitis (AD).
• To evaluate the correlation between AD severity and its impact on children's QoL.
• To validate the use of specific QoL indices in pediatric AD patients in Romania.

Main Methods:

• The study included 64 pediatric patients (0-16 years) clinically diagnosed with AD.
• QoL was measured using the Infants' Dermatitis Quality of Life Index (IDQoL) and the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDQoL).
• Disease severity was assessed using the SCORAD index; pruritus was identified as a key symptom.

Main Results:

• Pruritus (itching) was the most frequent symptom and significantly influenced patients' QoL.
• The study demonstrated the efficiency of IDQoL and CDQoL in correlating AD severity with QoL in young patients.
• QoL indices effectively captured the impact of AD on daily activities like sleep and play.

Conclusions:

• The validated QoL questionnaires are effective tools for assessing the impact of AD in pediatric populations.
• These tools can be integrated into clinical practice and guidelines for better disease management.
• This study provides the first analysis of pediatric AD QoL in Romania, forming a basis for future guidelines.