Assessing top quality of life measures in Acne Vulgaris studies: a crucial dimension in patient-centric care

This study examines the origins and utilization trends of top quality-of-life (QoL) measures in acne research. A literature search on PubMed identified the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI), and Acne Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (Acne-QoL) as the most frequently used QoL measures in studies on Acne Vulgaris. The DLQI was implemented in 142 studies it since its inception, compared to 43 utilizing CADI and 21 utilizing Acne-QoL. Despite it not being acne-specific, DLQI's usage surpassed other measures by over 50% annually since 2006. While DLQI displayed the steepest rise in utilization, usage of all measures increased significantly from 2010 to 2020. This trend underscores the growing emphasis on patient-centered outcomes in acne research, highlighting the need to incorporate both patient-reported and objective outcomes to better capture disease severity and its impact on patients' lives. For dermatologists, QoL indices can expand disease severity beyond purely objective clinical measurements.