Quality of life and disease severity in dermatitis patients with fragrance allergy—A cross-sectional European questionnaire study

Bennike NH, Heisterberg MS, White IR, Mahler V, Silvestre-Salvador JF, Giménez-Arnau A, Johansen JD (2019)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

DOI: 10.1111/cod.13252

Abstract

Background: Fragrance contact allergy is common, but few studies on quality of life (QoL) in affected patients exist. Recently, the disease-specific Fragrance Quality of Life Index (FQLI) was developed. Objectives: To characterize QoL in European dermatitis patients with fragrance contact allergy at the time of diagnosis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, in which 2011 Danish, British, Spanish and German adult consecutive dermatitis patients were invited to complete a questionnaire on self-reported disease severity, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and the FQLI immediately prior to being patch tested. Results: One thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight patients responded, and 259 (14.7%; country range 11.7%-18.5%) were fragrance-positive. Among these, the total (SD) DLQI score was 6.2 (5.6) and the total (SD) FQLI score was 60 (25), with both estimates being comparable to those in fragrance-negative patients. Adjusting the total FQLI score for age, sex and self-rated disease severity showed a higher (ie, worse) score in fragrance-positive patients (3.6-point increase; 95% confidence interval: 0.30-6.8 points; P = 0.03). Specifically, contact allergy to oxidized linalool was associated with greater impairment in QoL. Conclusions: QoL in patients with fragrance contact allergy is impaired at a level comparable to that in other patch tested dermatitis patients, at the time of diagnosis, across several European countries.

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How to cite

APA:

Bennike, N.H., Heisterberg, M.S., White, I.R., Mahler, V., Silvestre-Salvador, J.F., Giménez-Arnau, A., & Johansen, J.D. (2019). Quality of life and disease severity in dermatitis patients with fragrance allergy—A cross-sectional European questionnaire study. Contact Dermatitis. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cod.13252

MLA:

Bennike, Niels H., et al. "Quality of life and disease severity in dermatitis patients with fragrance allergy—A cross-sectional European questionnaire study." Contact Dermatitis (2019).

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