Development and Validation Clinician and Patient Reported Photonumeric Scales to Assess Buttocks Cellulite Severity

Abstract

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text.

BACKGROUND

The Clinician Reported Photonumeric Cellulite Severity Scale (CR-PCSS) and Patient Reported PCSS (PR-PCSS) are newly developed tools for assessing cellulite severity.

OBJECTIVE

To report on the reliability, validity, and ability to detect a change in cellulite severity on the buttocks of adult women with the CR-PCSS and PR-PCSS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Content validity of both scales was established through concept elicitation and cognitive interviews. Test–retest reliability was evaluated, and intra-rater (both scales) and inter-rater (CR-PCSS only) reliability were estimated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for agreement and consistency. Ability to detect a change was determined using the Subject–Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) or Investigator-GAIS as anchors.

RESULTS

For the CR-PCSS ( n = 6) at baseline and Day 2, the mean interrater ICCs were ≥0.70 and mean intrarater ICCs (95% confidence interval [CI]) were ≥0.81 (0.72–0.90) for both buttocks. For the PR-PCSS ( n = 99) at baseline and Day 14, the mean test–retest reliability ICCs (95% CI) were ≥0.86 (0.79–0.91) for both buttocks. A clinically meaningful change was 1.0 point on the PR-PCSS and 1.0 on the CR-PCSS.

CONCLUSION

The CR-PCSS and PR-PCSS reliably assess cellulite severity of the buttocks and can detect a clinically meaningful change after treatment for cellulite.