Evaluating change in disease activity needed to reflect meaningful improvement in quality of life for clinical trials in cutaneous lupus erythematosus

Background: Outcome measures of clinical trials in cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) should reflect clinically meaningful improvement in disease activity, as measured by the Cutaneous Lupus Disease Area and Severity Index activity score (CLASI-A). Objective: We aimed to define the degree of improvement in disease activity meaningful to a patient's quality of life. Methods: The change in the CLASI-A in 126 patients needed to predict meaningful change in QoL, as defined by the Emotions and Symptoms subscales of the Skindex-29, was evaluated by linear regression models. Results: In patients with an initial CLASI-A of >= 8, a 42.1% or >= 7-point and a 31.0% or >= 5-point decrease in CLASI-A predicts meaningful improvement in the Emotions and the Symptoms subscales, respectively. Limitations: This is a retrospective study of prospectively collected data at a single site. Conclusions: A CLASI-A score of >= 8 for trial entry allows for inclusion of patients with milder disease where CLASI-A improvement by >= 50% is clinically significant and meaningful.

Automated summary

In patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus, a decrease of 42.1% or ≥7 points and 31.0% or ≥5 points in CLASI-A can predict meaningful improvement in emotions and symptoms, respectively. This retrospective study highlights the importance of defining clinically meaningful improvement in disease activity.