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Background: Hand eczema severity index (HECSI) is a widely used tool for assessment of hand eczema (HE) severity. Generally, HECSI has been used by health care providers, and a validation of the HECSI tool when used by patients is lacking. Objectives: To evaluate the construct validity and reliability of HECSI as a tool for patients based on comparison to HECSI assessments by physicians. Methods: Patients with HE, enrolled from the dermatological outpatient clinic, Bispebjerg Hospital, assessed HE severity with a patient version of HECSI (patient‐HECSI). Afterwards, HECSI was assessed by a trained physician (physician‐HECSI). Results: This study found a strong correlation and very good absolute agreement between patient‐HECSI and physician‐HECSI assessments with a correlation coefficient of 0.756 and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.844. Cronbach's alpha was 0.861 indicating very good internal consistency. Conclusion: With a strong construct validity and reliability, the patient‐HECSI may be used by patients as a patient‐reported outcome assessing their personal HE severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The assessment of the individual evolution of vitiligo is important for therapeutic decision making in daily practice. A fast, simple and validated physician‐reported score to assess clinical changes in depigmentation over time in separate parts (activity and improvement) is currently missing. Objective: The main objective of the study was to develop and validate the Vitiligo Disease Activity Score (VDAS) and Vitiligo Disease Improvement Score (VDIS). Methods: The Vitiligo Disease Activity Score (VDAS) and Vitiligo Disease Improvement Score (VDIS) were evaluated based on a photo set of 66 patients with two different time points. In the first (short) version, only the number of changing body regions was counted based on 15 predefined areas (VDAS15 and VDIS15), while in the second (extensive) version the degree of worsening or improvement from +4 to −4 for each body area was added for a more detailed assessment (VDAS60 and VDIS60). Content and construct validity were tested. In addition inter‐, intrarater reliability and feasibility were evaluated by 7 (test) and 5 (retest) physicians. Results: Evidence for content and construct validity was provided. Overall, VDAS15, VDIS15, VDAS60 and VDIS60 demonstrated good to excellent inter‐rater reliability [intraclass correlation (ICC): VDAS: range = 0.797–0.900; VDIS: range = 0.726–0.798]. The intrarater reliability ICCs were 0.865 and 0.781 for the VDAS15 and VDIS15, respectively. Similar results were obtained for the VDAS60 and VDIS60 (ICC = 0.913 and 0.800, respectively). Completion time was short (median: 122 s/patient (first round); 95 s/patient (second round)]. Limitations: Single tertiary centre mainly of skin phototype 2 to 3. Conclusion: The VDAS and VDIS appear to be valid, reliable and feasible instruments to score the evolution of vitiligo lesions. This accommodates the current urgent need for a simple, standardized and practical assessment of vitiligo activity and improvement over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple clinician‐reported outcome measures exist for atopic dermatitis (AD) severity. However, there is no gold standard for use in clinical practice. Objectives: To determine the measurement properties of the product of validated Investigator's Global Assessment for AD (vIGA) and body surface area (BSA) overall or divided into six categories (cBSA: 0%/0.1, <10%/10, <30%/30, <50%/50, <70%/70 and <90%/90–100%) and compare with other clinician‐reported and patient‐reported outcomes in adults and children with AD. Methods: We performed a prospective dermatology practice‐based study using questionnaires and evaluation by a dermatologist (n = 653). Results: vIGA*BSA and vIGA*cBSA had good convergent validity with BSA (Spearman's ρ = 0.97 and 0.93), eczema area and severity index (ρ = 0.94 and 0.92), and objective SCORAD (ρ = 0.88 and 0.89); and weak‐to‐good convergent validity with Numeric Rating Scale average itch (ρ = 0.22 and 0.22) and worst itch (ρ = 0.27 and 0.28), Patient‐Oriented Eczema Measure (ρ = 0.44 and 0.43), Dermatology Life Quality Index (ρ = 0.48 and 0.49), ItchyQOL (ρ = 0.45 and 0.46), PROMIS Sleep Disturbance (ρ = 0.46 and 0.37) and sleep‐related impairment (ρ = 0.31 and 0.31) in adults and/or children; very good discriminant validity for physician‐reported global AD severity; good responsiveness to change of severity of AD and itch; and good reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [95% confidence interval]: 0.72 [0.60–0.81] and 0.74 [0.62–0.82]) with no floor or ceiling effects. Thresholds for interpretability bands and clinically important difference were established. Conclusions: vIGA*BSA and vIGA*cBSA scores showed good convergent and discriminant validity, reliability, responsiveness and interpretability in adults and children with AD, and were feasible for use in clinical practice. vIGA*BSA and vIGA*cBSA had slightly lower convergent validity than EASI or objective SCORAD, but might be more efficient to collect and score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]