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. 2021 Apr 27:3:102-110.
doi: 10.1016/j.jdin.2021.03.002. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Impact of facial and truncal acne on quality of life: A multi-country population-based survey

Jerry Tan  1 , Stefan Beissert  2 , Fran Cook-Bolden  3 , Rajeev Chavda  4 , Julie Harper  5 , Adelaide Hebert  6 , Edward Lain  7 , Alison Layton  8 , Marco Rocha  9 , Jonathan Weiss  10 , Brigitte Dréno  11
Affiliations

Impact of facial and truncal acne on quality of life: A multi-country population-based survey

Jerry Tan et al. JAAD Int. .

Abstract

Background: Acne confers an increased risk of physical, psychiatric, and psychosocial sequelae, potentially affecting multiple dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Morbidity associated with truncal acne is poorly understood.

Objective: To determine how severity and location of acne lesions impact the HRQoL of those who suffer from it.

Methods: A total of 694 subjects with combined facial and truncal acne (F+T) and 615 with facial acne only (F) participated in an online, international survey. Participants self-graded the severity of their acne at different anatomical locations and completed the dermatology life quality index (DLQI).

Results: The F+T participants were twice as likely to report "very large" to "extremely large" impact on HRQoL (ie, DLQI > 10 and children's DLQI [CDLQI] > 12) as compared with the F participants (DLQI: odds ratio [OR] 1.61 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.02-2.54]; CDLQI: OR 1.86 [95% CI 1.10-3.14]). The impact of acne on HRQoL increased with increasing acne severity on the face (DLQI and CDLQI P values = .001 and .017, respectively), chest (P = .003; P = .008), and back (P = .001; P = .028).

Limitations: Temporal evaluation of acne impact was not estimated.

Conclusions: Facial and truncal acne was associated with a greater impact on HRQoL than facial acne alone. Increasing severity of truncal acne increases the adverse impact on HRQoL irrespective of the severity of facial acne.

Keywords: CDLQI, children's dermatology life quality index; CI, confidence interval; CompAQ; CompAQ, Comprehensive Acne Quality of Life; DLQI, dermatology life quality index; F+T, combined facial and truncal acne; F, facial acne only; HRQoL, health-related quality of life; OR, odds ratio; dermatology life quality index (DLQI); facial acne; patient-reported outcomes; quality of life; truncal acne.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr Tan has acted as a consultant for and/or received grants/honoraria from Bausch, 10.13039/501100009754Galderma, 10.13039/100004319Pfizer, Almirall, Boots/10.13039/100005153Walgreens, Botanix, Cipher, 10.13039/501100009754Galderma, Novan, 10.13039/100004336Novartis, Promius, 10.13039/501100004296Sun, Vichy. Dr Chavda is an employee of Galderma. Dr Beissert, Dr Cook-Bolden, Dr Harper, Dr Hebert, Dr Lain, Dr Layton, Dr Weiss, and Pr Dréno have acted as investigators and consultants for Galderma. Dr Rocha has acted as an advisor and/or speaker and received honoraria from Eucerin, Galderma, Johnson&Johnson and Leo Pharm.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
A, DLQI means (95% CI) for the “F+T” and “F” groups for individual questions. B, CDLQI means (95% CI) for the “F+T” and “F” groups for individual questions. CDLQI, Children's dermatology life quality index; CI, confidence interval; DLQI, dermatology life quality index; F, facial acne only; F+T, combined facial and truncal acne.
Fig 2
Fig 2
A, Distribution of total HRQoL scores (per DLQI and CDLQI) by facial acne self-rated IGA score. B, Distribution of total HRQoL scores (per DLQI and CDLQI) by chest acne self-rated IGA score. C, Distribution of total HRQoL scores (per DLQI and CDLQI) by back acne self-rated IGA score. CDLQI, Children's dermatology life quality index; DLQI, dermatology life quality index; HRQoL, health-related quality of life; IGA, Investigator Global Assessment; QoL, quality of life.
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