DLQI
Also written as: DLQI — Dermatology Life Quality Index
Abbreviation for Dermatology Life Quality Index, a validated 10-item patient-reported questionnaire measuring the impact of skin disease on quality of life.
Full Definition
The DLQI (Dermatology Life Quality Index), developed by Finlay and Khan in 1994, is the most widely used dermatology-specific quality-of-life instrument in clinical research and regulatory submissions. It covers six domains: symptoms and feelings, daily activities, leisure, work/school, personal relationships, and treatment. Scores range from 0 (no effect) to 30 (maximum impact). A score above 10 is generally considered indicative of a large effect on quality of life and is often used as a reimbursement threshold. Editors must render this as 'DLQI' (all caps), spell out the full name on first use, and ensure score ranges and cut-off values are stated correctly.
Usage
Usage note: Avoid 'DLQI index' (redundant acronym syndrome). The full name should appear on first use followed by '(DLQI)' in parentheses. Do not confuse with the Children's DLQI (CDLQI), which uses a modified instrument.
In Context
- "Mean DLQI score improved from 18.4 at baseline to 4.2 at week 16, indicating a clinically meaningful reduction in disease burden." — Clinical trial results section
- "The manuscript used 'DLQI score' and 'DLQI index' interchangeably; the editor standardized to 'DLQI score' to avoid redundancy." — Copy-editing note