title: Health-related quality of life and patient-defined benefit of clobetasol 0.05% in women with chronic lichen sclerosus of the vulva.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigates the health-related quality of life in patients with vulvar lichen sclerosus (LS) and the patient-defined therapeutic benefit of clobetasol.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey analysis of 96 women with LS after treatment with clobetasol was performed. Quality of life was assessed with the Skindex-29. The Patient Benefit Index (PBI) was used to determine the therapeutic benefit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall response rate was 59.2%. Quality of life was most impaired by somatic symptoms (scale 'Symptoms' score 3.2) and emotional stress (scale 'Emotions' score 3.1), while social interactions (scale 'Functioning' score 1.9) played an inferior role (p < 0.001). Primary therapeutic goals 'to have confidence in the therapy' and 'to be free of itching' were achieved in 73.2 and 69.0% of patients who indicated the goal applied to them. The global PBI score was 3.06. In 93.2% of patients it was >1, indicating a potential benefit from clobetasol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topical clobetasol is of potential therapeutic benefit for patients with vulvar LS and might therefore improve quality of life.
authors: Department of Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Schwegler
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Schwarz
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Eulenburg
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Blome
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ihnen
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Mahner
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Jaenicke
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Augustin
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Woelber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002990:Clobetasol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D058992:Social Participation / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D007724:Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002990:Clobetasol