Validation of a parental questionnaire to identify atopic dermatitis in a population-based sample of children up to 2 years of age

LB von Kobyletzki, A Berner, F Carlstedt, M Hasselgren… - Dermatology, 2013 - karger.com
LB von Kobyletzki, A Berner, F Carlstedt, M Hasselgren, CG Bornehag, Å Svensson
Dermatology, 2013karger.com
Background: Validated eczema questionnaires have been available for schoolchildren only,
but the incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) is highest during infancy. Objective: To validate a
parental questionnaire to identify AD in children up to 2 years of age. Methods: Parents of
476 children answered a written questionnaire prior to an examination by a physician.
Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and test-retest reliability of the questionnaire were
assessed. Results: A total of 245 (51%) girls and 231 (49%) boys, aged 1-24 months, with …
Abstract
Background: Validated eczema questionnaires have been available for schoolchildren only, but the incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) is highest during infancy. Objective: To validate a parental questionnaire to identify AD in children up to 2 years of age. Methods: Parents of 476 children answered a written questionnaire prior to an examination by a physician. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and test-retest reliability of the questionnaire were assessed. Results: A total of 245 (51%) girls and 231 (49%) boys, aged 1-24 months, with and without physician-diagnosed AD participated. Seventy-one children (15%) had physician-diagnosed AD. Validation of the questionnaire by comparisons with physicians' diagnoses showed a sensitivity of 0.87 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.77-0.94) and a specificity of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.96-0.99). The positive predictive value was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.80-0.96) and the negative predictive value was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.96-0.99). Conclusion: The questionnaire identified AD in children aged 0-2 years with high accuracy.
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