J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021 Jun 15. doi: 10.1111/jocd.14289. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: All scoring systems used in Alopecia Areata (AA) focus mainly on scalp and cannot assess the severity or treatment response when AA involves the beard hair, eyebrows or eyelashes.
AIM: This study describes and assesses the reliability of a new scoring system ‘Alopecia Areata Severity Index’ (AASI) for measuring the severity of AA of scalp, beard and upper face.
METHODS: Scalp hair, beard hair, upper face (eyebrows and eyelashes) were individually assessed and the severity of AA was scored from 0 to 100 (0-50 in case of upper face). AASI score was then calculated as a sum of all these individual scores as AASI= AASI (scalp)+AASI (upper face)+AASI (beard)+. To test the inter-observer reliability of AASI score, 25 patients with varying severity of AA were scored by 4 trained dermatologists. Repeat scoring was performed after one week to test for intra-observer reliability.
RESULTS: Excellent inter-rater as well as intra-observer reliability was observed with Chronbach’s alpha value of 0.999 (CI = 0.989-1.000). The intra-observer correlation coefficient with average measure was 0.999 (CI = 0.990- 1.000) with statistically significant F test <0.005.
CONCLUSION: AASI score is a reliable scoring system to assess the severity of AA in patients with involvement of one or more areas of the body.
PMID:34129730 | DOI:10.1111/jocd.14289
