Health-Related Quality of Life in Morphea

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with morphea (localized scleroderma). We determined the impact of morphea on HRQOL and clinical and demographic correlates of HRQOL.
METHODS: Cross sectional survey of Morphea in Adults and Children (MAC) cohort. RESULTS: Morphea impairs HRQOL. Patients were particularly affected with respect to emotional well-being and concerns that the disease will progress to their internal organs. Patients with morphea had worse skin-specific HRQOL than those with other skin diseases, including non-melanoma skin cancer, vitiligo, and alopecia (lowest P <.0001). The morphea population was found to have significantly worse global HRQOL scores than the general U.S. population for all subscales (all P ≤.004) with the exception of bodily pain. Comorbidity (r =.35-.51, P ≤ .0029 -.0001) and symptoms of pruritus (r =.38 -.64, P ≤.001-.0001) and pain (r =.46-.74, P <.0001) were associated with impairment in multiple domains of skin-specific and global HRQOL. Physician-based measures of disease severity correlated with patient-reported HRQOL. CONCLUSION: Patients with morphea have negative impact on HRQOL particularly if symptoms or concerns regarding internal manifestations are present. Providers should be aware of this when evaluating and treating patients.