PD476 - DETERMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIET QUALITY, DISEASE SEVERITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH PEMPHIGUS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

PD476

DETERMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIET QUALITY, DISEASE SEVERITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH PEMPHIGUS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

E. Akbaş^1,*, M. Bağlan¹, A. S. Kocaman¹, S. Ayaz¹, S. Ghaderivaghari², B. Çırak², S. A. T. Ergun², A. D. Yücelten², S. Aktaç¹

¹Nutrition and Dietetics, Marmara University, ²Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye

Rationale: Pemphigus is a chronic autoimmune bullous disease in which dietary patterns and characteristics may impact patients’ quality of life and disease progression. This study aimed to evaluate the association between diet quality, disease severity, and quality of life in patients with pemphigus.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2024 and November 2025 in the dermatology outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital. Demographic characteristics were recorded and anthropometric measurements were assessed, and body composition was evaluated with bioelectrical impedance analysis. Disease severity was assessed with the Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI), quality of life with the Dermatology Quality of Life Instrument (D-QOL), and dietary intake with two-day food records. Diet quality was evaluated using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS), DASH score, and Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII).

Results: 65 patients (55.4% female) with a mean age of 56.1±13.5 years and a mean disease duration of 7.12±5.88 years were included. Men had higher fat-free mass, while women had higher body fat percentage (p<0.05). Handgrip strength was significantly higher in men (p<0.001). No significant differences were observed between PDAI groups for MEDAS or DASH score (p>0.05). However, DII scores were significantly lower in patients with higher disease severity (p=0.033). DASH score was negatively correlated with DLQI (r=-0.308, p<0.05). No significant correlation was observed between the Mediterranean diet score and disease severity.

Conclusion: Diet quality, particularly the inflammatory potential of the diet, was associated with disease severity in patients with pemphigus.These findings suggest that evaluating and targeting the inflammatory characteristics of diet may be relevant in the nutritional management of patients with pemphigus.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared