Comparison of FEDESI and SCORFAD scoring systems for the evaluation of skin lesions in allergic cats.
BACKGROUND
Feline Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (FeDESI) and Scoring Feline Allergic Dermatitis (SCORFAD) are two different scoring systems for the evaluation of feline allergic dermatitis.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the correlation between FeDESI and SCORFAD and pruritus.


METHODS
The dermatological lesions of 32 cats affected by feline allergic dermatitis were evaluated with both FeDESI and SCORFAD before treatment and once monthly during treatment where ciclosporin was administered at 7 mg/kg orally once daily for 1 month then tapered, when possible, in the subsequent 2 months. Pruritus was scored by pet owners with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Correlation between scores at Visit 1, and between absolute and percentage score improvements at visits 1, 2 and 3, were analysed statistically using a nonparametric Spearman's rank correlation test.


RESULTS
Correlation between FeDESI, SCORFAD and VAS pruritus scores at baseline was low and nonsignificant for all combinations. The correlation of absolute score improvement was moderate and significant only between FeDESI and VAS pruritus at Visit 3. Correlation of improvement percentage was moderate and significant between FeDESI and SCORFAD and between FeDESI and VAS pruritus at Visit 2, whereas at visits 3 and 4 it was high and significant for each combination.


CONCLUSIONS
Only improvement percentage of FeDESI and SCORFAD scores seem to correlate well. SCORFAD is the only scoring system to have been validated, although it seems to correlate less with pruritus and may be more difficult to use than FeDESI. The latter could thus be more appropriate for use, but further studies are needed especially in regard to its validation.
Studio Dermatologico Veterinario, Strada Bedale della Ressia 2, 12016, Peveragno, Italy.
Chiara
C
Noli
Department of Translational Medicine, Unit of Medical Statistics and Cancer Epidemiology, University "Amedeo Avogadro" of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli 17, 28100, Novara, Italy.
Tiziana
T
Cena
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011537:Pruritus / Q000662:veterinary; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine