Validation of scratching severity as an objective assessment for itch

There are currently no simple, standardized, objective assessments of itch for clinical trials and practice. We sought to validate and test the severity of scratching as an objective measure of itch (4-point ordinal scale ranging from 0 [not present] to 3 [very prominent] based on the observation of scratching lesions). We performed a prospective outpatient study using questionnaires and evaluations by a dermatologist in adults with atopic dermatitis (AD) (n=261). Severity of scratching best correlated with patient-reported global AD severity (Kendal ’s Tau=0.336, P
Source: Journal of Investigative Dermatology - Category: Dermatology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research