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European Journal of Dermatology

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Characteristics and determinants of patient burden and needs in the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria Volume 30, issue 3, May-June 2020

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Authors
1 Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
2 Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Allergie-Centrum-Charité, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstraße 2, 10117 Berlin, Germany
3 Department of Dermatology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
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Background: Treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is founded on evidence-based guidelines. However, specific patient needs and benefits of therapy have not been outlined at the guideline level. Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterise the specific needs and treatment goals in chronic spontaneous urticaria from the patient's perspective. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in four German outpatient dermatology clinics. Patient needs and potential therapy goals were determined with the validated Patient Needs Questionnaire (PNQ) using a specific version for chronic urticaria. Further instruments to characterise the link between patient needs and disease burden were disease-specific (CU-Q2oL), skin-generic (DLQI) and health-generic (EQ VAS) scales. Results: Data from 103 patients were analysed (age: 43.92 ± 14.96 years; 71.4% female). Among the most important therapeutic goals were the absence of visible skin lesions (92.3% important/very important), to be free of itching (91.5%) and the desire to be healed of all skin defects (89.5%). All 26 items were found to be quite important/very important by at least 30% of the respondents. Specific profiles of patient needs were found to be related to sex and disease duration. Conclusion: Innovative drugs and patient-centred individualised treatment may increase overall benefits. Regardless of the treatment chosen, shared decision making in the management of the disease should be a goal.