IMPACT OF PSORIASIS ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN EASTERN PROVINCE, SAUDI ARABIA.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that can seriously impair the quality of life (QoL). It can cause anxiety and result in disability negatively influencing life activities and social relationships of patients. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life in psoriatic patients living in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Materials And Methods: The study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. The Arabic version of Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) instrument was used to assess the quality of life in the study. An electronic copy of the questionnaire was distributed to every psoriatic patient who visited the dermatology department, King Fahd Hospital of the University in Al-Khobar from September 2016 to March 2017. Results: 84 adult patients accepted to participate in the study and completed the questionnaire. The overall average DLQI score was 7.39 out of 30. Psoriasis impaired the quality of life of 74 (88.1%) patients. 18 (21.4%) patients were \"very largely\" or \"extremely largely\" affected by the disease. Groin involvement was the single statistically significant factor that correlates with QoL. The patients with groin involvement (27.38%) had a marked impairment of the quality of life when compared to the patients with no groin involvement. The mean DLQI score with groin involvement is 9.87 compared to 6.37 without groin involvement (p-value =0.013). Conclusion: The overall score of DLQI in psoriatic patients living in Saudi Arabia remains high though it might be lower than assumed. The factors that are associated with QoL impairment in Saudi Arabia may differ from those in other countries of the world. Patients with groin involvement, for example, might have a higher impairment of QoL.