What factors affect the quality of life of patients with keloids?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate factors that affect the quality of life (QoL) of patients with keloids.


METHODS
A study was conducted on 102 patients of both genders between 15 and 70 years old. During initial evaluation, clinical factors, such as keloid visibility, duration and evolution of the disease, previous treatments, types of treatments and recurrence were recorded. Later, patients responded to the QualiFibro questionnaire, which is specific for evaluation of the QoL of patients with keloids and comprises the physical and psychological domains, and six visual numeric scales (VNS), of which three are related to psychological factors (satisfaction with appearance, shame of the disease, and suffering experienced), and the other three are related to physical factors (pruritus, pain and movement restriction).


RESULTS
Patients with keloids on non-visible areas of the body (p<0.01) and more than 10 years of disease (p<0.049) reported higher scores on the physical domain of the QualiFibro questionnaire, indicating increased severity compared with patients with keloids on visible areas of the body and disease duration of less than 10 years. There was a positive correlation between psychological (satisfaction with appearance, feelings of embarrassment about the disease and suffering experienced) and physical factors (pruritus, pain and movement restriction) evaluated using the VNSs, and both domains of the QualiFibro questionnaire.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that the physical domain of the QualiFibro questionnaire was the most affected in patients with keloids on non-visible areas and in those with keloids for more than 10 years. Psychological and physical factors associated with keloids as assessed with the VNS affected both psychological and physical domains of QoL.
Furtado
Fabianne
F
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Cirurgia Plástica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP. bibifst@yahoo.com.br
Hochman
Bernardo
B
Ferrara
Soraia Francisco
SF
Dini
Gal Moreira
GM
Nunes
José Mário Camelo
JM
Juliano
Yara
Y
Ferreira
Lydia Masako
LM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult