QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH MELASMA IN KING KHALID UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, SAUDI ARABIA

Objectives:To assess the quality of life in patients with melasma. To correlate quality of life scores with severity of melasma. To determine the association between quality of life in melasma patients with their sociodemographic status. To determine the association between quality of life in patients with melasma and the risk factors of this disease Methods:A cross sectional observational quantitative study done on a total of 80 melasma patients in the dermatology clinic at king Khalid university hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia The questionnaire consisted of the following types of questions: Sociodemographic data, which included age, gender, educational level, marital status, monthly income and occupation, Patient history, Disease information and Clinical data Results:The majority of patients were aged greater than 39 years [63.8% ],married [72.5%], have bachelor degree [45%], monthly family income [5000-10000 SR], don’t work[52.5%], Chronic diseases patients [42.5%], hypothyroidism patients [23.8%], have 10 years or more duration of melasma [41.3%], melasma onset was associated with pregnancy in [51.3%], [60%] have family history, [68.8%] have Fitzpatrick skin phototype IV. The mean ± SD of MelasQoL and MASI scores were 29.64 ± 16.755, 11.093 ± 4.3643, respectively. And no correlation between MelasQoL and MASI scores [r = 0.117; p = 0.301]. There was association between MelasQoL and the age at onset of melasma [p=0.040] Conclusion:Melasma has a major impact on quality of life of patients in Saudi Arabia. Dermatologists should pay attention to this effect in the management plans of melisma patients. Keywords: quality of life; melasma; severity of melasma; sociodemographic status