Assessment of Dermatology Life Quality Index Relevant (DLQI-R) in Psoriasis: A Practical Tool for Measuring Quality of Life in Elderly Populations
Author(s)
Javier Mataix Díaz, MD1, Sergio Santos Alarcón, MD2, Clara Pérez Rambla, PhD3, Patricia Carrera, PhD3, Francisco Javier Pérez-Sádaba, MSc3.
1Department of Dermatology, Hospital Marina Baixa, Alicante, Spain, 2Department of Dermatology, Hospital Virgen de los Lirios, Alcoy, Alicante, Spain, 3Outcomes´10 a Product Life Group company, Castellon, Spain.
1Department of Dermatology, Hospital Marina Baixa, Alicante, Spain, 2Department of Dermatology, Hospital Virgen de los Lirios, Alcoy, Alicante, Spain, 3Outcomes´10 a Product Life Group company, Castellon, Spain.
OBJECTIVES: The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is the most used tool for assessing Health-related quality (QoL) of life in patients with skin disease. The DLQI-Relevant (DLQI-R) is a modified version which adjusts score based on the number of “not relevant” responses (NRR), preventing underestimation of disease impact, common in elderly psoriasis patients (Pso), however further evidence is needed to support its in clinical use. We assessed the convenience of the DLQI-R and its correlation with disease severity in this population.
METHODS: A retrospective, multicentre, descriptive study was conducted on elderly (≥65) patients with moderate-severe Pso in Spain. Data were collected from clinical records from dermatology visit within the year before November 2023, excluding clinical trials participants. Physicians collected sociodemographic and clinical (including PsO Severity Index-PASI) data. Patients reported QoL using EuroQol-5D and DLQI. Descriptive analysis was performed with STATA v.14; DLQI-R score was obtained from the following formula: DLQI-R=DLQIx[10/(10-NRR)]; DLQI convenience was evaluated by NRRs count, and correlations between DLQI, DLQI-R and PASI score were estimated by Spearman’s coefficient.
RESULTS: We included 950 patients: 55.9% women, mean age of 72.6 years. Over 83.3% (n=782) completed the DLQI independently; the rest needed help mainly due to visual impairment (68.9%). Over half (52.1%) reported one or more items as NRRs. A strong correlation between DLQI and DLQI-R (r=0.987, p<0.001) was found, being DLQI scores significantly lower (mean difference -0.7, p=0.000). Spearman correlations for DLQI (0.6612) and DLQI-R (0.6739) with PASI were similar.
CONCLUSIONS: The DLQI-R is a suitable tool that strongly correlates with both the original DLQI and PASI. By providing a more realistic perception of disease impact in elderly, since DLQI tends to underestimate it, it valuable for guiding treatment decisions in clinical practice.
METHODS: A retrospective, multicentre, descriptive study was conducted on elderly (≥65) patients with moderate-severe Pso in Spain. Data were collected from clinical records from dermatology visit within the year before November 2023, excluding clinical trials participants. Physicians collected sociodemographic and clinical (including PsO Severity Index-PASI) data. Patients reported QoL using EuroQol-5D and DLQI. Descriptive analysis was performed with STATA v.14; DLQI-R score was obtained from the following formula: DLQI-R=DLQIx[10/(10-NRR)]; DLQI convenience was evaluated by NRRs count, and correlations between DLQI, DLQI-R and PASI score were estimated by Spearman’s coefficient.
RESULTS: We included 950 patients: 55.9% women, mean age of 72.6 years. Over 83.3% (n=782) completed the DLQI independently; the rest needed help mainly due to visual impairment (68.9%). Over half (52.1%) reported one or more items as NRRs. A strong correlation between DLQI and DLQI-R (r=0.987, p<0.001) was found, being DLQI scores significantly lower (mean difference -0.7, p=0.000). Spearman correlations for DLQI (0.6612) and DLQI-R (0.6739) with PASI were similar.
CONCLUSIONS: The DLQI-R is a suitable tool that strongly correlates with both the original DLQI and PASI. By providing a more realistic perception of disease impact in elderly, since DLQI tends to underestimate it, it valuable for guiding treatment decisions in clinical practice.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
PCR25
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes
Disease
Sensory System Disorders (Ear, Eye, Dental, Skin)