Reliability of scar assessments performed with an integrated skin testing device - the DermaLab Combo(®)

T U Gankande; J M Duke; P L Danielsen; H M DeJong; F M Wood; H J Wallace

doi:10.1016/j.burns.2014.01.025

Reliability of scar assessments performed with an integrated skin testing device - the DermaLab Combo(®)

Burns. 2014 Dec;40(8):1521-9. doi: 10.1016/j.burns.2014.01.025. Epub 2014 Mar 12.

Authors

T U Gankande¹, J M Duke², P L Danielsen³, H M DeJong⁴, F M Wood⁴, H J Wallace²

Affiliations

¹ Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Surgery, The University of Western Australia, Australia. Electronic address: Uliya.Gankande@uwa.edu.au.
² Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Surgery, The University of Western Australia, Australia.
³ Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Surgery, The University of Western Australia, Australia; Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Denmark.
⁴ Burn Injury Research Unit, School of Surgery, The University of Western Australia, Australia; Burn Outcomes Centre, Royal Perth Hospital, Australia.

PMID: 24630817
DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2014.01.025

Abstract

Background: The DermaLab Combo(®) is a device with potential to make objective measurements of key scar components - pigmentation, vascularity, pliability and thickness. This study assessed the inter-rater and test-retest reliability of these measurements.

Method: Three raters performed scar assessments on thirty patients with burn scars using the DermaLab Combo(®). Measurements of pigmentation, vascularity, pliability and thickness were made and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were derived for inter-rater and test-retest reliability.

Results: Inter-rater reliability was found to be "excellent" in the 'best' and 'worst' areas of the index scar and normal skin for pigmentation (ICC: 0.94-0.98) and thickness (ICC: 0.86-0.96). Test-retest reliability was also "excellent" for pigmentation (ICC: 0.87-0.89) and thickness (ICC: 0.92-0.97) in all areas. Vascularity showed "good" to "excellent" inter-rater reliability (ICC: 0.66-0.84) in all areas however test-retest reliability was "low" (ICC: 0.29-0.42). Test-retest reliability was "excellent" for pliability (ICC: 0.76-0.91). Technical limitations were encountered making measurements in some scars for thickness, and in particular, pliability.

Conclusion: The DermaLab Combo(®) measured pigmentation, thickness and pliability with "excellent" reliability. If future studies provide protocols to improve test-retest reliability of vascularity measurements and obtain pliability measurements more successfully, the DermaLab Combo(®) will be valuable device for scar assessment.

Keywords: Burns; Inter-rater reliability; Objective scar measurements; Scar assessment; Test–retest reliability.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Burns / complications*
Cicatrix / diagnosis*
Cicatrix / etiology
Cicatrix / physiopathology
Elasticity
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Observer Variation
Reproducibility of Results
Skin / blood supply
Skin / physiopathology*
Skin Pigmentation*
Young Adult