Itching is a profoundly distressing symptom for many patients with psoriasis but has not been rigorously studied using validated tools for this condition.
This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Itch Numeric Rating Scale (Itch NRS), a single-item patient-reported outcome (PRO) measuring worst itching severity due to psoriasis in the past 24 hours.
Using disease-specific clinician-rated and PRO data from one phase 2 and three phase 3 randomised clinical studies of subjects with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, the Itch NRS was evaluated for test-retest reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness. A responder definition was explored using anchor- and distribution-based methods.
Test-retest reliability analyses supported the reproducibility of the measure (intraclass correlation coefficient range: 0.71-0.74). To support construct validity of the Itch NRS, large cross-sectional correlations with the Dermatology Quality of Life (DLQI) Symptoms and Feelings domain (r ≥ 0.60 at baseline and r ≥ 0.80 at week 12) supported a priori hypotheses, while large correlations (r ≥ 0.71) between changes in Itch NRS scores and changes in DLQI Symptoms and Feelings domain scores from baseline to week 12 established responsiveness. A 4-point change was optimal for demonstrating a level of clinically meaningful improvement in itch severity after 12 weeks of treatment that corresponds with marked clinical improvements in plaque psoriasis.
The Itch NRS demonstrated sufficient reliability, validity, and responsiveness, and appropriate interpretation standards for evaluating change over time in itch severity among patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis when validated using clinical trial data for this condition. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
5
6%
Nursing and Health Professions
4
5%
Neuroscience
3
4%
Immunology and Microbiology
2
3%
Other
5
6%
Unknown
28
36%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 18. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 12 August 2025.
All research outputs
#2,408,070
of 29,858,747 outputs
Outputs from British Journal of Dermatology
#895
of 11,288 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#29,970
of 314,708 outputs
Outputs of similar age from British Journal of Dermatology
#7
of 90 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 29,858,747 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 91st percentile: it's in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 11,288 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 9.9. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 92% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 90 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 92% of its contemporaries.
