Archive
Spring 2016, Vol. 24 No. 1
Hong Kong J. Dermatol. Venereol. (2016) 24, 5-16
Original Article
Quality of life in adults with endogenous eczema in Singapore
新加坡的內源性濕疹成年患者的生活質量調查
HH Wong 黃宏惠, RK Huynh, MPHS Toh 卓漢森, DCW Aw 胡政偉
Abstract
Background: Endogenous eczema (EE) is a common chronic skin condition resulting from internal physiological processes not necessarily requiring external stimuli; common subtypes include atopic eczema, xerotic eczema, and non-specific endogenous eczema. The chronicity and relapsing-remitting nature of EE has a significant psychological impact on many patients. Objectives: To survey the domains of quality of life (QoL) and overall QoL of adult outpatients with EE, as well as the factors correlating with their QoL. Methods: A 17-item cross-sectional interview was conducted with 110 adults with prevailing EE from the dermatology clinic of National University Hospital, Singapore. Dermatology Quality of Life Index (DLQI) was the instrument used to assess QoL. Results: Scores for the overall scale ranged from 0 to 27, median=5.00 and SD=6.543. EE had no effect on the quality of life in 21.8%, small effect in 36.4%, moderate effect in 16.4%, very large effect in 19.1% and extremely large effect in 6.4% of the study participants. Of the domains examined by the DLQI, symptoms and feelings were the most affected. The proportion of those unaffected by EE increased in the geriatric population and those with less severe eczema (all p<0.05). There was no gender correlation. Conclusion: EE patients were significantly affected by their symptoms and feelings. Apart from providing medical treatment, dermatologists need to find ways to ameliorate symptoms experienced by patients with EE, and assess their emotional burden. This is especially important when handling the young and those with more severe disease.
背景：內源性濕疹是一種常見的慢性皮膚病，它的出現源於內在的生理過程，並不一定需要外來刺激引發；常見的亞型包括異位性皮膚炎、乾性濕疹和非特異性的內源性濕疹。內源性濕疹的慢性及反覆不斷發作及緩解的特性，使不少患者的心理產生了顯著的影響。目標：調查有內源性濕疹病人的生活品質，生活品質的領域以及與他門生活品質相關的因素。方法：110有內源性濕疹在新加坡國立大學醫院的皮膚科診療所門診的成年人完成有17項的問卷。皮膚學生活品質問卷被用來評估生活品質。結果：最低分數是0，最高27，中位數=5.00和標準差=6.543。內源性濕疹對21.8%的研究參與者沒有影響，對36.4%有小的影響，16.4%有中等的影響，19.1%有很大的影響，6.4%有極大的影響。皮膚學生活品質問卷檢查的領域當中，以「症狀和感覺」這一領域的影響最大。此外，不受影響者的比例在老年群組及非嚴重濕疹群組內明顯地較其他群組高（p<0.05），而性別和生活品質則不見有相關性。結論：內源性濕疹患者顯著地受到本身「症狀」和自我「感覺」困擾。除提供醫療外，皮膚科醫生需要尋找方法來舒緩內源性濕疹患者的症狀，同時評估他們的情緒負擔。這些舉措在處理年輕及較嚴重的濕疹個案時尤為重要。
Keywords: Adult, eczema, quality of life, Singapore
關鍵詞: 成年人、濕疹、生活品質、新加坡
