Bruni, C;
Ngcozana, T;
Braschi, F;
Pucci, T;
Piemonte, G;
Benelli, L;
Poli, M;
... Matucci-Cerinic, M; + view all
(2019)
Preliminary Validation of the Digital Ulcer Clinical Assessment Score in Systemic Sclerosis.
The Journal of Rheumatology
, 46
(6)
pp. 603-608.
10.3899/jrheum.171486.
Preview |
Text
ducas paper accepted UCL uploaded 2018.pdf - Accepted Version Download (180kB) | Preview |
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To date, "healed/non-healed" and clinical judgment are the only available assessment tools for digital ulcers (DU) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aim of our study is to examine a preliminary composite DU clinical assessment score (DUCAS) for SSc for face, content, and construct validity. METHODS: Patients with SSc presenting at least 1 finger DU were enrolled and assessed with the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, Cochin scale, visual analog scale (VAS) for DU-related pain, patient global DU status, and global assessment as patient-reported outcomes (PRO), and physician VAS for DU status (phyGDU) as an SSc-DU expert physician/nurse measure. The DUCAS included 7 DU-related variables selected by a committee of SSc DU experts and weighted on a clinical basis. Face validity was examined by consensus and partial construct validity was tested through convergent correlation with other measures of hand function, using Spearman's correlations. A range of patients with SSc was examined. A linear regression model with backward stepwise analysis was used to determine the relationship of individual variables with the primary clinical parameter, phyGDU. RESULTS: Forty-four patients with SSc (9 males, mean age 55 ± 15 yrs, mean disease duration 9.9 ± 5.8 yrs) were enrolled in the study. Overall DUCAS showed significant positive correlations with all abovementioned PRO (r > 0.4, p < 0.01). When all scores and scales were modeled, only DUCAS significantly predicted phyGDU (r = 0.59, R² = 0.354, Akaike information criterion = 385.4). CONCLUSION: Preliminarily, we suggest that the DUCAS may be a new clinical score for SSc-related DU, having face and content validity and convergent/divergent correlations (construct validity). These early data suggest that this score deserves further evaluation.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Preliminary Validation of the Digital Ulcer Clinical Assessment Score in Systemic Sclerosis |
| Location: | Canada |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.3899/jrheum.171486 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.171486 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | systemic sclerosis, digital ulcer, outcome measures, score |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Medicine UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Medicine > Inflammation |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10063018 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
