Instruments for the determination of disease activity, disease control, and impairment of quality of life in patients with chronic urticaria and angioedema

One problem in the care of patients with urticaria and angioedema is that frequently no representative symptoms are present when these patients see a doctor. Furthermore, no objective method to assess pruritus, which is one of the main symptoms, has been established yet. To be able to obtain relevant information about the current disease situation despite these circumstances, patient oriented instruments have been developed: Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) are questionnaires and diaries that are completed by the patient and that document the current disease situation in a standardized way. Instruments to assess disease activity, disease control, and impairments of the quality of life are of particular practical importance and have proven useful. A good integration of these PROs into daily practice not only improves the documentation of the disease situation but also saves precious time that can be used for physician-patient dialogues. In addition, PROs can be used to document treatment decisions, like for example changes of therapy. The following article presents the most important PRO instruments for patients with chronic urticaria and angioedema, provides suggestions for the optimal use of these instruments, and describes individual limitations.