Quality of life in treatment of AK: Treatment burden of ingenol mebutate gel is small and short lasting.

BACKGROUND

Treatments for actinic keratosis (AK) can elicit adverse local skin responses (LSRs). Knowledge regarding the burden of AK treatment on health related quality of life (HRQoL) is however limited.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether treatment of AK improved HRQoL; to assess whether LSRs had an impact on HRQoL during treatment and to analyze the relationship between LSRs and HRQoL.

METHODS

Patients (n = 329) were randomized for treatment with cryosurgery (CRY) followed by ingenol mebutate (IngMeb) (CRY + IngMeb) or CRY followed by vehicle (CRY + vehicle). HRQoL was analyzed using DLQI, EQ-5D and EQ-VAS at baseline, three days, two weeks and eight weeks post treatment.

RESULTS

Statistically significant HRQoL improvements were seen in all measures in both treatment groups (p < 0.001). Impairments in DLQI in CRY + IngMeb at LSR peak were within a range interpreted as having "a small impact on patients' life" (2-5), which normalized within two weeks.

LIMITATIONS: DLQI may not be sensitive to change in the AK disease as it mainly captures symptoms and has a limited focus on feelings.

CONCLUSION

The treatment burden of IngMeb is small, manageable and short-lasting. Since AK is a chronic condition, often requiring repeated treatment courses, combining treatments that provide enhanced effectiveness, while limiting HRQoL impairment is essential.