German Pruritus Questionnaire
Chronic pruritus (defined as pruritus lasting for more than six weeks) is a widespread symptom in dermatology, but also occurs in other diseases, e. g. internal and neurological diseases and increasingly in the elderly population. In spite of intense research activities all over the world, it is still difficult to measure chronic pruritus. Because of its large variety in its etiology, its multidimensionality and its subjective perception, it is necessary for the physician to better understand the patient’s pruritus, especially for choosing an effective patient-specific treatment. All this demands good patient reported outcomes as well as good study instruments. A questionnaire can help to get relevant and important information from a patient. Validated measures for e.g. quality of life (HRQOL), general health status have been developed but so far no unique and validated pruritus questionnaire exists. Form the clinical point of view and according to previous studies, several aspects of pruritus e.g. qualities of itch such as burning, painful, stinging can differ between different types of pruritus. Painful and burning pruritus is quite typical for specific pruritus forms such as neuropathic pruritus and is also frequently observed in uremic patients.
In order to better assess intensity, quality of chronic pruritus as well as important patient data such as e.g. previous diseases, drug intake, a German language questionnaire for assessing chronic pruritus (AGP questionnaire) was developed in 2008 in 4 different university departments. The results were published in the German Dermatology Journal Hautarzt 2011; 62: 914-27. During the following years, the questionnaire was further developed and is now applied in a multicenter study design called Deutscher Pruritusfragebogen. The current version of this questionnaire comprises questions on cause, intensity and quality of pruritus, general health status, socio-demographic data, itch-specific therapies, quality of life, and pruritus cognition. Ten departments of Dermatology, Internal Medicine and Psychosomatic Medicine in Germany, Austria and Switzerland participate in this study. Ethics approval is currently requested.
The objective is to develop a questionnaire which can differ between different forms of pruritus (e.g. pruritus in dermatological diseases, pruritus in internal diseases etc.) and contains fixed modules for the patient at the initial visit and individual modules for follow-up visits e.g. on intensity and quality of pruritus, treatment and HRQOL. We will assess the reliability and the stability (sensitivity to change) as well as the validity of the questionnaire.
In order to better assess intensity, quality of chronic pruritus as well as important patient data such as e.g. previous diseases, drug intake, a German language questionnaire for assessing chronic pruritus (AGP questionnaire) was developed in 2008 in 4 different university departments. The results were published in the German Dermatology Journal Hautarzt 2011; 62: 914-27. During the following years, the questionnaire was further developed and is now applied in a multicenter study design called Deutscher Pruritusfragebogen. The current version of this questionnaire comprises questions on cause, intensity and quality of pruritus, general health status, socio-demographic data, itch-specific therapies, quality of life, and pruritus cognition. Ten departments of Dermatology, Internal Medicine and Psychosomatic Medicine in Germany, Austria and Switzerland participate in this study. Ethics approval is currently requested.
The objective is to develop a questionnaire which can differ between different forms of pruritus (e.g. pruritus in dermatological diseases, pruritus in internal diseases etc.) and contains fixed modules for the patient at the initial visit and individual modules for follow-up visits e.g. on intensity and quality of pruritus, treatment and HRQOL. We will assess the reliability and the stability (sensitivity to change) as well as the validity of the questionnaire.
Contact: apl. Prof. Dr. med. Elke Weisshaar