POEM Score — SCE Dermatology MCQ

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EasyInflammatory DermatosesPOEM ScoreSCE Dermatology

A 40-year-old woman with moderate eczema has the POEM (Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure) completed at each visit. What does POEM measure?

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Correct answer: E — Patient-reported eczema symptoms over the past week (frequency of itch, sleep disturbance, bleeding, weeping, cracking, flaking, dryness) — a validated 7-item questionnaire

POEM is a 7-item patient-reported outcome measure assessing the frequency of eczema symptoms over the previous week: itching, sleep disturbance, bleeding, weeping/oozing, cracking, flaking off, and dryness/roughness. Each item is scored 0-4 (no days to every day), giving a total score of 0-28. POEM is the recommended primary patient-reported outcome measure for eczema clinical trials (HOME initiative) and is increasingly used in clinical practice. It captures the patient's experience rather than clinician-assessed signs. Severity bands: clear/almost clear 0-2, mild 3-7, moderate 8-16, severe 17-24, very severe 25-28. POEM can be completed in <2 minutes and is freely available.

Reference: BAD 2020 AD; HOME Initiative; NICE Quality Standard