Short-form questionnaire evaluates vitiligo burden as per skin phototype

Researchers have recently developed and validated 12-item short-forms of the Vitiligo Impact Patient scale (VIPs) questionnaires for fair (VIPs-12-FS) and dark (VIPs-12-DS) skin in a study.

This multicentre, prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in France (Créteil and Bordeaux) and the US (Worcester, Massachusetts, and Dallas, Texas) to develop and validate a 12-item short-form of the VIPs that considers skin phototype.

A total of 891 patients completed the questionnaire, of which 509 belonged to the French development sample—313 with DS (phototypes IV to VI) and 196 with FS (phototypes I to III)—and 382 to the US validation sample—113 DS and 269 FS.

A very high correlation was found between VIPs-FS and its 12-item short-form (VIPs-12-FS) in both the development and validation samples (rho, 0.96 and 0.98, respectively; p-both<0.0001). The associations were also very high between VIPs-DS and its 12-item short-form (VIPs-12-DS) in both the development and validations samples (rho, 0.95 and 0.96, respectively; p-both<0.0001).

The study was limited by the responsiveness of the 12-item short-forms, which needed confirmation.

In 2016, a specific vitiligo burden tool according to skin phototype was developed and validated by Salzes and colleagues, which consisted of 29 items (19 items common to all patients, three specific to FS and seven to DS). External validity was confirmed by the correlation coefficients and Bland and Altman plots of the Vitiligo Impact Patient scale-Fair Skin and Vitiligo Impact Patient scale-Dark Skin vs the Short-Form-12, PVC Metra, Body Image States Scale, and Daily Life Quality Index assessment tools. [J Invest Dermatol 2016;136:52-58]