CLINICAL IMPLICATION S Only SCORAD , EASI , and POEM currently perform adequately .
BACKGROUND Valid and reliable outcome measurements are a prerequisite for evidence -based practice .
The comparative validity and reliability of outcome measurements for assessing atopic eczema ( AE ) severity is unclear .
OBJECTIVE We sought to assess the validity , reliability , sensitivity to change , and ease of use of outcome measurements for AE .
We also sought to give recommendations on which outcomes to use in clinical research and for clinical monitoring .
The patient-oriented eczema measure: development and initial validation of a new tool for measuring atopic eczema severity from the patients' perspective.
OBJECTIVE To develop a simple , valid , repeatable , and readily underst and able patient-oriented assessment measure for monitoring disease activity in children and adults with atopic eczema . DESIGN Qualitative semistructured patient interviews identified a list of symptoms of atopic eczema . These symptoms were quantitatively analyzed in a larger patient population to identify which symptoms were important to patients and amenable to monitoring as part of a scoring system . SETTING The outpatient Department of Dermatology at the Queen 's Medical Centre , University Hospital , Nottingham , Engl and , and 5 local general practice s. PATIENTS Four hundred thirty-five patients with atopic eczema . RESULTS Seven symptoms were incorporated into the final patient-oriented eczema measure using a simple 5-point scale of frequency of occurrence during the previous week , with a maximum total score of 28 . Validity testing against the Dermatology Life Quality Index , Children 's Dermatology Life Quality Index , and patients ' global severity assessment s showed good correlation ( r = 0.78 , r = 0.73 , and r = 0.81 , respectively ; P<.001 ) . Internal consistency was high ( Cronbach alpha = 0.88 ) , and test-retest reliability was good , with 95 % of scores falling within 2.6 points on repeat testing ( mean score difference , 0.04 ; SD , 1.32 ) . Individual variables in the measure demonstrated sensitivity to change during a 4-week in-clinic period and an 18-week r and omized controlled clinical trial . CONCLUSION The patient-oriented eczema measure is a practical self-assessed measurement tool for monitoring aspects of atopic eczema that are important to patients in routine clinical practice or in the clinical trial setting
CLINICAL IMPLICATION S Only SCORAD , EASI , and POEM currently perform adequately .
BACKGROUND Valid and reliable outcome measurements are a prerequisite for evidence -based practice .
The comparative validity and reliability of outcome measurements for assessing atopic eczema ( AE ) severity is unclear .
OBJECTIVE We sought to assess the validity , reliability , sensitivity to change , and ease of use of outcome measurements for AE .
We also sought to give recommendations on which outcomes to use in clinical research and for clinical monitoring .