P133 Perceptions of patients and physicians from the UK of the burden of chronic spontaneous urticaria: results from the Urticaria Voices study

Abstract Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a debilitating disease that impacts patients’ mental health and wellbeing. Urticaria Voices is a multinational cross-sectional study conducted in patients with CSU and CSU-treating physicians in the USA, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Japan. This analysis from the Urticaria Voices study investigated differences in perceived disease burden between patients and physicians in the UK. Patients completed a survey on various parameters, such as burden of CSU and treatments received, and the physicians’ survey assessed treatment and disease management. Physicians and patients were not matched, and thus the results are not directly comparable. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. In total 87 patients and 74 CSU-treating physicians (36 of 74, 49% dermatologists and 38 of 74, 51% allergists) participated in the study. The mean (SD) time since onset of CSU was 8.9 (9.2) years and the mean (SD) time since diagnosis of CSU was 6.8 (7.8) years; the delay between onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 2.1 (5.5) years. Patients saw a mean of 9.3 (SD 7.8) specialists before they were diagnosed with CSU. Two-thirds of physicians (66%) reported CSU has an overall negative impact on their patients’ lives, while 41% of patients reported it negatively impacted their lives (Table). Both physicians and patients reported that CSU negatively impacts various aspects of patients’ lives, including mental and emotional wellbeing, social life, intimate relationships, daily activities, and family, professional and financial life (Table). Notably, more physicians acknowledged the burden of the disease on patients’ lives than the patients themselves. The high scores reported by patients and physicians highlight the profound negative impact of CSU on patients’ overall quality of life in the UK. This study was funded by Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland.TablePerception of the negative impact of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) on different aspects of lifeDomainPatients’ perspective (n = 87)Physicians’ perspective (n = 74)n (%)aMean (SD)an (%)aMean (SD)aOverall negative impact36 (41)6.7 (2.2)49 (66)7.9 (1.3)Negative impact on mental and emotional wellbeing30 (34)5.8 (2.7)50 (68)8.1 (1.5)Negative impact on social life and intimate relationships30 (34)5.8 (2.5)42 (57)7.8 (1.5)Negative impact on activities of daily living32 (37)5.9 (2.6)46 (62)7.5 (1.8)Negative impact on family life22 (25)5.5 (2.6)37 (50)7.5 (1.6)Negative impact on professional life24 (28)5.2 (2.8)37 (50)7.3 (1.7)Negative impact on financial life20 (23)4.8 (2.8)25 (34)6.7 (1.9)aProportion and mean of top 3 box results (patients or physicians choosing high scores of 8–10 for CSU burden on a 10-point scale, from 1 = lowest to 10 = highest).