Quality of Life in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: Disease Burden, Measurement, and Treatment Benefit

Abstract

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is often markedly impaired in both adults and children with atopic dermatitis. The quality of life of the parents of infants or children with this chronic disease is also affected owing to problems such as itch-induced sleeping problems and treatment effort. As HRQoL is only partly associated with disease severity, both parameters should be evaluated in research and clinical practice. For the measurement of HRQoL, both skin- and disease-specific questionnaires are available in addition to generic instruments. In randomized controlled trials on atopic dermatitis, HRQoL is most commonly evaluated with the Dermatology Life Quality Index for use in adults and related questionnaires for children and families, such as the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index. There is evidence that different treatment modalities may be effective in improving HRQoL in adults, children, and parents, which is supported by the patients' own evaluation of treatment benefit in an observational study.