This page describes patient-reported outcome measures in urticaria.
Urticaria control test (UCT)1
Monthly
The UCT covers the following 4 domains:
- Validated and specifically designed for chronic urticaria
- Self-administered, retrospective (past 4 weeks) 4-item questionnaire
- Each answer is scored ranging from 0 to 4
- The summed score ranges from 0: no control to 16: full control
Urticaria activity score (UAS7)*
Daily
A method for assessing disease severity
- Tools are available for angioedema-only patients2
- Patient scores their number of hives (0 to 3)** and pruritus severity (0 to 3)† each day for 7 days2
- Maximum weekly score is 42 – a higher score corresponds to more severe disease2
- Severe CSU has a UAS7 score of 28–423
*Included in the NICE guidance as an example of objective assessment of disease severity.
**Scoring from 0 (none) to 3 (intense).
Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)4
Weekly
The DLQI is a simple, validated questionnaire used to evaluate health-related quality of life in patients with skin diseases.
- It consists of 10 questions comprising 6 domains:

Symptoms and feelings

Daily activities

Personal relationships

Leisure

Work and school

Treatment
- The effect of the disease on each domain is scored from 0 (not at all) to 3 (very much) for each question, giving a total score of between 0 and 30
- Higher DLQI score corresponds to greater impairment on quality of life
As part of our mission to be as environmentally friendly as possible, we provide our resources in electronic form.
These materials should not be printed by healthcare professionals.
PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES RESOURCE
The patient-reported outcomes resource presents patient-reported outcomes for healthcare professionals to use with patients with CSU; these outcomes include the UCT, UAS7 and DLQI.
CSU, chronic spontaneous urticaria; DLQI, Dermatology Life Quality Index; UAS7, urticaria activity score at seven days; UCT, urticaria control test.
References
- Moestrup K et al. Int J Dermatol 2017; 56:1342–1348.
- Zuberbier T et al. Allergy 2014; 69:868–887.
- Stull D et al. EAACI 2014, abstract 826.
- Finlay AY et al. Clin Exp Dermatol 1994;19(3):210–216.