ASSESSING DISEASE BURDEN: QUALITY OF LIFE IN PSORIASIS AND AUTOIMMUNE BULLOUS DISEASES.

Background: Psoriasis and autoimmune bullous diseases (BD) are chronic, recurrent, immune-mediated pathologies, characterized by skin eruptions and associated symptoms: itching, pain, burning and stinging. Their influence on patients' quality of life (QoL) can be significant, affecting both physical and emotional well-being, and leaving an impact on daily activities and social relationships. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the QoL in individuals with psoriasis and BD (pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid and dermatitis herpetiformis). Material and methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted on 50 patients admitted to the Dermatovenerology Clinic of the Mureş Clinical County Hospital, between July 2023 and February 2024, and diagnosed with psoriasis (34 patients) and BD (16 patients, with the predominance of pemphigus). Data were collected using two questionnaires: one included information about the patient, skin lesions, symptoms and treatment; the other was the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire, where a higher score indicates a greater impact on the individual's QoL. The statistical analysis included Pearson and Spearman's correlation, t-tests and the Mann-Whitney test, with a significance level of p<0.05. Results : Psoriasis and BD had a moderate effect on patients' QoL, with an average DLQI value of 7.61 ± 6.04 for psoriasis and 8.81 ± 4.38 for BD. The most impacted aspects of QoL were clinical symptoms and feelings, while work and school were the least influenced. Statistically significant differences were observed in the DLQI values between patients receiving local and systemic treatment (3.9 ± 3.3 for psoriasis and 5.62 ± 1.92 for BD) and those without any treatment (8.91 ± 5.35, p=0.01 for psoriasis, 12.83 ± 3.43, p=0.0003 for BD). Regarding psoriasis, combined local and systemic treatment showed a lower DLQI value (3.9 ± 3.3) compared to local treatment alone (11.33 ± 7.39, p=0.01); in addition, a positive correlation was found between DLQI and disease extent (r=0.56, p=0.0005). No other significant correlations were identified for either psoriasis or BD. Conclusions: Psoriasis and BD moderately impair individuals' QoL. Patients receiving both local and systemic therapies experienced a better QoL compared to those without any treatment. Specifically, for psoriasis, combined local and systemic therapies demonstrated superiority in promoting a better QoL compared to local treatment alone. These findings emphasize the importance of therapeutic medical intervention for both conditions, together with adequate psychological and social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]