Quality of Life and Perceived Stress in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: Counting the Burden

• Main Authors: Jose Reeshma (Author), Olasseri Kalathingal Reena Mariyath (Author), KTP Dayal Narayan (Author), Keerankulangara Devi (Author), Kidangazhiyathmana Ajithkumar (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2024-04-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2229-5178; 2249-5673; 10.4103/idoj.idoj_367_23
• Keywords: chronic spontaneous urticaria; chronic urticaria quality of life; perceived stress scale; Dermatology; RL1-803
• Source: Indian Dermatology Online Journal, Vol 15, Iss 3, Pp 460-463 (2024)

Background: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a dermatosis with a significant psychological component. Only a few studies have assessed the quality of life (QoL) and perceived stress in CSU patients. Objectives: To evaluate the QoL and perceived stress in patients with CSU. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on 54 patients of CSU attending the Urticaria clinic of the Dermatology department in a tertiary care postgraduate teaching hospital in North Kerala. QoL in chronic urticaria was assessed using the Chronic Urticaria-Quality of Life (CU-QoL) questionnaire and perceived stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results: The mean scores of CU-QoL and PSS were 55.78 and 16.31, respectively. Out of 54 patients, 26 (48.1%) had mild impairment, 26 (48.1%) had moderate impairment, and 2 (3.7%) had severe impairment of QoL. Low stress was seen in 20 (37%) patients, moderate stress in 28 (51.9%), and six (11.1%) patients had high stress. Conclusion: This study shows that more than half of the patients with CSU had moderate to severe impairment of QoL and had moderate to severe stress.