Correlation between Severity of Atopic Dermatitis and Sleep Quality in Children and Adults.
BACKGROUND
The atopic dermatitis (AD) can limit a patient's physical and psychosocial development as well as lower their overall quality of life (QOL), including sleep quality.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between clinical disease severity, QOL and sleep quality in children and adults with AD.


METHODS
The SCORing atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) was examined to evaluate the severity of AD in fifty adult AD patients and 50 children AD patients. A questionnaire based on the children's sleep habits questionnaire (CSHQ) and the children's dermatology life quality index (CDLQI) were used to evaluate QOL and sleep disturbance in children AD patients. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) were used in adult AD patients.


RESULTS
The SCORAD and CSHQ score, the SCORAD and CDLQI score and the CSHQ and CDLQI score demonstrated significant correlations. The SCORAD and PSQI score showed no significant correlation. However, there were significant correlations between the SCORAD and DLQI score and the PSQI and DLQI score.


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing severity of AD affects sleep quality in child AD patients. In adults, even though the total score of the sleep questionnaire is not associated with the severity of AD, two components of sleep questionnaire are associated with the severity of AD. There is a significant correlation between sleep quality and QOL in both children and adults. Therefore, we suggest that evaluating the sleep quality as well as clinical severity of the disease is necessary in the management of AD patients.
Department of Dermatology, Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Tae Seok
TS
Kong
Department of Dermatology, Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Tae Young
TY
Han
Department of Dermatology, Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
June Hyunkyung
JH
Lee
Department of Dermatology, Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Sook Ja
SJ
Son
Adult; Atopic dermatitis; Child; Quality of life; SCORAD index; Sleep