Quality of life in patients with scalp psoriasis.

AIM: The aims of this study were to describe the quality of life (QoL) in patients suffering of scalp psoriasis and to assess the impact of the socio-demographic and clinical features of this condition on patients' health-related QoL, using general and specific QoL scales. METHODS: This research is a cross-sectional study. The study involved 55 patients attending their first examination at the Dermatology Clinic of Padua University over the course of one year (April 2010-March 2011). The outcome was quality of life analyzed by means Scalpdex and SF-36 questionnaire. RESULTS: The sample's mean Scalpdex score was 43.60±17.52, while the mean SF-36 score was 68.28±20.32. The SF-36 identified statistically significant differences between the psoriasis patients and the Italian general population in two domains, i.e. general health (P=0.0075) and emotional role (P=0.0048). The severity of patients' scalp lesions emerged as a factor associated with a reduced QoL in these patients, irrespective of the severity of their disease as a whole. Sex, age, schooling and other socio-demographic factors also characterized patients' perceived QoL. CONCLUSION: Patients with scalp psoriasis suffered from a lower QoL relating to the highly visible site of their psoriatic lesions. Specific supportive measures should be dedicated to these patients by health care workers.