Patient-oriented Eczema Measure score: A Useful Tool for Web-Based Surveys in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

The Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM, 0–28 points) is a self-assessed, repeatable measurement tool for measuring atopic dermatitis (AD) severity. However, whether POEM score is influenced by allergic comorbidities and whether POEM’s severity banding is applicable in web-based surveys for AD remain unclear. A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted in 329 patients with AD. POEM, self-reported severity of AD, and comorbidity of allergic diseases including asthma, pollen rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and food allergy were assessed. POEM scores were not affected by a history of comorbid allergic diseases. The severity banding for POEM scores on the web-based survey was as follows: clear/almost clear=0, mild=1–8, moderate=9–21, and severe/very severe=22–28, which was comparable to previous banding. These results suggest that POEM is useful for determining AD severity, even in web-based surveys. Patients with POEM scores above 9 points may be grouped into moderate, severe, and very severe AD.