Itch Assessment Scale for the Pediatric Burn Survivor

The objective of the study is to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Itch Man Scale developed in 2000 by Blakeney and Marvin in assessing the intensity of itch in the pediatric burn patient. Forty-five patients (31 males and 14 females; average age 9.9 +/- 5.0 years; and % TBSA burned 41 +/- 25%) with an established itch complaint were studied. They were asked to describe the severity of their itch by two independent raters to determine test-retest reliability. Individuals aged 6 years or older were assessed using parental informants. Concurrent validity was determined by comparing three scales to quantify the level of itch: the Itch Man Scale (a 5-point Likert scale), the 5-D Itch Scale (adapted from a scale for peripheral neuropathy), and the Visual Analog Scale for itch. Itch Man Scale ratings collected from independent raters showed a strong correlation (r = .912, P < .0001). The Itch Man Scale also correlated significantly with the Visual Analog Scale, the gold standard for measurement of pruritus (r = .798, P < .0001). The total summated score of the Duration, Degree, Direction, and Disability domains from the 5-D Itch Scale had a significant correlation with the Itch Man Scale (r = .614, P < .0001). The Degree domain is the only individual component with a significant correlation (r = .757, P < .0001). The Itch Man Scale is a reliable and valid tool to assess itching in pediatric burn patients and to quantify postburn pruritus. (J Burn Care Res 2012;33:419-424)