Quality of life in vitiligo patients

ABSTRACT

Vitiligo has a considerable impact on Quality of Life [QOL], in a society, like ours with pigmented skin. Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI] is a simple and practical tool, which can be used to study the effect of any disease on QOL. To assess the impact of vitiligo on QOL in our patients using DLQI and to corelate DLQI score with age, sex, marital status and sites of involvement. Patients and methods One hundre d patients [52 females and 48 males] of vitiligo were enrolled in the study. Using a ten item DLQI, translated into Urdu, patients were asked to indicate how their lives had been affected over the preceding week. The mean DLQI score was 9.56 ranging from 0 to 29.The difference between mean DLQI score for males [8.17] and females [10.85] was statistically significant. Young females [n=40] had mean DLQI score of 11.2. Unmarried females [n=16] had greater impairment of QOL [mean DLQI score = 8.28]. Patients with involvement of exposed sites of body scored [mean DLQI score= 11.03] higher than patients with disease on covered parts of body. The impact of vit iligo on QOL is greater on young and unmarried females with involvement of exposed parts of body