Patient Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM)
DESCRIPTION:
The Patient Oriented Eczema Measure is a self-reported patient questionnaire designed to assess the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD). It focuses on the illness as experienced by the patient.1,2
DISEASE STATES:
Atopic dermatitis
VALIDATED USES:
Assessment, screening, treatment monitoring
ADMINISTRATION METHOD:
Patient
COMMONLY USED IN:
Clinical trials, clinical practice
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
POEM is a simple, repeatable, and easy-to-understand tool for monitoring disease severity in children and adults with atopic dermatitis. POEM has been recommended by the Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) for use in clinical trials to measure the core domain of symptoms in AD.3,4
POEM comprises 7 questions and maximum score of 28. The assessment is designed to evaluate disease severity across 3 core AD domains based on a patient’s perspective of itch, skin dryness, and sleep disturbances.1-4
POEM SCORING1,2
Each question carries equal weight and is scored from 0 to 4.
| Score | Number of Days |
|---|---|
| 0 | No days |
| 1 | 1–2 days |
| 2 | 3–4 days |
| 3 | 5–6 days |
| 4 | Every day |
POEM SEVERITY BANDING1,2
| Score | Severity |
|---|---|
| 0–2 | Clear/almost clear |
| 3–7 | Mild |
| 8–16 | Moderate |
| 17–24 | Severe |
| 25–28 | Very severe |
VALIDITY:
Gerbens et al. evaluated 18 instruments for assessing disease severity in AD. Utilizing the validated COSMIN checklist and based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), POEM was one of 5 tools with strong enough evidence to be recommended for use in AD clinical trials.4
LIMITATIONS:
There is potential interrater variability and limited geographic diversity of included current studies. POEM needs further validation studies, particularly focusing on content validity and cross-cultural applicability.4
This resource is intended for educational purposes only and is intended for US healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals should use independent medical judgment. All decisions regarding patient care must be handled by a healthcare professional and be made based on the unique needs of each patient.
References: 1. Charman CR, Venn AJ, Williams HC. The Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure: development and initial validation of a new tool for measuring atopic eczema severity from the patients’ perspective. Arch Dermatol. 2004;140:1513-1519. doi:10.1001/archderm.140.12.1513 2. Charman CR, Venn AJ, Ravenscroft JC, Williams HC. Translating Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) scores into clinical practice by suggesting severity strata derived using anchor-based methods. Br J Dermatol. 2013;169(6):1326-1332. doi:10.1111/bjd.12590 3. Spuls PI, Gerbens LAA, Simpson E, et al. Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), a core instrument to measure symptoms in clinical trials: a Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) statement. Br J Dermatol. 2017;176:979-984. doi:10.1111/bjd.15179 4. Gerbens LAA, Prinsen CAC, Chalmers JR, et al. Evaluation of the measurement properties of symptom measurement instruments for atopic eczema: a systematic review. Allergy. 2017;72(1):146-163. doi:10.1111/all.12959
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