Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

2-2021

Academic Year

2020-2021

Abstract

Introduction: Quality of life (QoL) is an important metric in assessing dermatological diseases such as keloids. This study evaluated the effects of patient characteristics on QoL in keloid patients.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. 36 patients presenting to the keloid clinic at TJUH were surveyed. QoL subscale scores for emotion, symptom, and function were calculated in addition to a total score for each patient using a keloid-specific questionnaire. The association between the QoL scores and patient characteristics of sex, ethnicity, as well as keloid location, duration, visibility, size, number, pain score, and pruritis score were evaluated using t-tests.

Results: Significant differences in QoL were observed in relation to visibility, size, location, pain, and pruritis. QoL was worse in patients with non-visible compared to visible keloids (p=0.001). Patients with large keloids had worse quality of life than those with small keloids (p=0.002) or medium keloids (p=0.015). Patient with ear keloids reported better QoL (p=0.001) while patients with chest keloids reported worse QoL (p=0.014). Patients who reported mild pain scores had better quality of life than those who reported moderate (p=0.001) or severe pain scores (p=0.003). Patients who reported severe pruritis scores had worse quality of life than those who reported mild (p=0.002) or moderate scores (p=0.003).

Discussion: QoL in keloid patients was significantly impacted by multiple patient characteristics. The relationship between QoL scores and the size, pain score, and pruritis score of keloids emphasizes the need for effective keloid treatments to improve QoL in keloid patients.

Language

English

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