To characterize current practices for itch assessment among UK dermatologists and identify practical, validated tools for consistent measurement in routine care, emphasizing the importance of itch in patient care.
Key Findings:
78.68% of dermatologists recognized itch as the most bothersome symptom for patients with atopic dermatitis.
Only 28.68% of dermatologists reported using validated tools for itch assessment consistently, which may hinder effective patient management.
Validated tools like the peak pruritus numerical scale (PP-NRS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) are underutilized, indicating a need for better integration into practice.
Interpretation:
There is a significant gap between the recognition of itch as a critical symptom and its consistent quantification in clinical practice, highlighting the need for standardized assessment methods to improve patient outcomes.
Limitations:
The survey may not represent all UK dermatologists due to potential selection bias, which could affect the generalizability of the findings.
Limited exploration of the reasons behind the underutilization of validated tools, which warrants further investigation.
Conclusion:
Embedding itch assessment into standard clinical workflows is essential for improving patient care in atopic dermatitis, with simple validated measures recommended for routine use to enhance treatment outcomes.
