Dermatology Life Quality Index Correlation with DifferentDemographic and Clinical Factors in Psoriasis Patients:A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study

AbstractBackground: Psoriasis has significant negative impact onpatients'quality of life. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is an easy and practical way of quantifying the impact of skin disease. Socio-demographic and clinical factors can affect the quality of life in psoriasis.Aim of Study: To detect different demographic and clinicalfactors that affect quality of life in Egyptian psoriatic patients.Patients and Methods: This study was conducted on 400psoriasis patients of both sex with age above 16 years. Fullhistory taking, clinical examination and investigations weredone to detect different demographic and clinical data thatwould affect DLQI. DLQI questionnaire was used in thisstudy to assess the impact of psoriasis on quality of life.Results: DLQI ranged from 0 to 30 with mean ± SD =12.23±6.91. Positive correlation was detected between DLQI and each of extent of the lesions (p < 0.001, r=0.418) and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scoring (p < 0.001, r=0.403).Significant relations were detected between DLQI and each of the following: The course of the disease (p=0.038), the site of the lesions (p < 0.001), the type of psoriasis (p < 0.001). No correlations or relations were detected between DLQI and other studied factors.Conclusion: Psoriasis extent and severity, site of lesionsin exposed areas, course of the disease and type of psoriasisaffect DLQI significantly. Socio-demographic factors didn'taffect DLQI in our patients. Handling conditions that affectDLQI seriously would improve the quality of life in psoriasispatients. This approach could be an important target in thetreatment of this chronic disease.