The requirements that iPLEDGE, a computer-based risk management program (http://www.ipledgeprogram.com), places on prescribing isotretinoin typically mean that patients are seen on a monthly basis in the physician's office for 5 to 6 months, 1 which may lead to time and financial burdens on patients and caregivers, such as missed work and school. To our knowledge, these losses of time have not previously been quantified in the literature. Electronic visits (e-visits) represent a potential alternative to some follow-up visits for patients enrolled in the iPLEDGE program. Such e-visits have been shown to have utility for follow-up appointments among patients with acne, resulting in equivalent patient satisfaction compared with faceto-face appointments with a physician. 2-4 To our knowledge, the patient's and/or caregiver's interest and willingness to pay for e-visits, which is especially important for the financial feasibility of such visits, have not been measured in patients prescribed isotretinoin. We used a survey to quantify the perceived burden of follow-up visits, as well as interest in, perceived safety of, and willingness to pay for e-visits.
Discussion | This study provides a framework that facilitates meaningful clinical interpretation of the numerical mMASI score. The ranges for mMASI provided herein correspond to global levels of severity using the MSS. Such categorization in MSS levels can assist clinicians in interpreting clinical trial data, severity of disease, and response to treatment. The mMASI is a simple, reliable validated tool that is a modification of the most commonly used outcome measure for melasma. This user-friendly tool can now be correlated with the newly proposed clinical ranges of severity presented in the Figure, which can be used to assist researchers in determining entry criteria for clinical trains for melasma and improvement of melasma with treatment.
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