title: Outcome measures for autoimmune blistering diseases.
abstract: Outcome measures are crucial in assessing an autoimmune blistering disease's (AIBD) severity as well as its impact on the patient's quality of life (QOL). The standardization of AIBD outcome measures is pivotal to accurately monitor the patient and to pool results from randomized controlled trials for meta-analysis, and thereby provide knowledge of the optimal AIBD therapies. In the past decade, several AIBD severity outcome measures have been developed and validated. For pemphigus severity, the Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI) developed by the International Pemphigus Definitions Group was shown to be the most superior, followed by the Autoimmune Bullous Skin Disorder Intensity Score (ABSIS) by the German group. For bullous pemphigoid severity, the Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Area Index (BPDAI) was shown to be an accurate and valid measure. To quantify the burden of AIBD and its treatments on QOL, the Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (ABQOL) and the Treatment of Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (TABQOL) were also developed, validated, and are now being validated in multiple languages and cultures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Dermatology, St George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Cathy Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Dédée F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Murrell
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous
keywords: Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Area Index; Pemphigus Disease Area Index; autoimmune blistering diseases; outcome measures; quality of life