2025/01/15 by Jeong Min Yu, John M. VanBuren, Angela Child +27 · 1 voice
Medicine · #Systemic Sclerosis and Related Diseases #Skin Diseases and Diabetes #Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
paper · doi:10.3899/jrheum.2024-0736
openalex publication_date 2025/01/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Objective We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Scleroderma Skin Questionnaire (SSQ), a novel patient-reported outcome (PRO) to assess systemic sclerosis (SSc)–related skin symptoms. Methods Participants were recruited from the SSc Collaborative National Quality and Efficacy Registry (CONQUER). Internal consistency was determined using Cronbach α and McDonald ω total (ω t ). The correlation of the SSQ was assessed with the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), physician global assessment (PGA), Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire, 29-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-29), and patient global assessment to assess criterion, convergent, and divergent validity. Correlations were also assessed between patients’ self-reported recall of skin changes over the past 6 months (“SSQ 6-Month”) and 6-month change in mRSS. Results The SSQ was administered to 799 adults (mean age 52.7; 83% female) enrolled in CONQUER. Cronbach α was 0.90 and ω t was 0.92, indicating high internal consistency. The SSQ was moderately correlated with mRSS ( r 0.56), with stronger correlations in diffuse ( r 0.54) vs limited cutaneous subtypes ( r 0.24; all P < 0.05). The SSQ was also moderately-to-strongly correlated with PROMIS-29 physical function ( r −0.50) and pain interference subscales ( r 0.61), strongly with Health Assessment Questionnaire score ( r 0.63) and severity subscale ( r 0.62), and moderately with PGA SSc activity score ( r 0.48; all P < 0.05). SSQ 6-Month correlated weakly with the 6-month change in mRSS ( r 0.26; P < 0.05). Conclusion SSQ demonstrated high reliability and moderate correlation with mRSS and legacy PROs. This study provides initial support for SSQ, but not SSQ 6-Month, to assess skin symptoms in patients with SSc.