TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a meter for the calculation of Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) on the basis of EAACI/GA2LEN/EDF/WAO guidelines. The meter displays the wheal score and the pruritis/itch score which are then instantly added to calculate the Urticaria Activity Score (UAS).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The term "Urticaria" refers to a group of distinct skin conditions that are characterized by itchy, wheal- and flare- skin reactions (hives) and/or angioedema. Urticaria is a frequent disease. The lifetime prevalence of any subtype of urticaria is approximately 20%. Urticaria is classified into several subtypes for clinical use such as spontaneous urticaria, physical urticaria and others like aquagenic urticaria, cholinergic urticaria, contact urticaria, exercise induced anaphylaxis/urticaria. Spontaneous urticaria is further subdivided into acute urticaria that heals within six weeks and chronic urticaria that lasts longer, often persisting or recurring over the course of decades.
For acute and chronic spontaneous urticaria, assessing disease activity is more complex. Several scoring systems have been proposed using scales from 0-3 or upto 10 points. The current EAACI (European Academy of Allergology and Clinical lmmunology)/GA2LEN (Global Allergy and Asthma European Network)/EDF (European Dermatology Forum)/ WAO (World Allergy Organization) guidelines recommend assessing disease activity in chronic urticaria by using a unified, simple well-defined scoring system i.e. the Urticaria Activity Score (UAS). The UAS (Table 1) is based on the assessment of key urticaria symptoms (wheals and pruritis). It is suitable for evaluation of disease activity by urticaria patients and their treating physicians. Furthermore, this scoring system has been validated. As urticaria symptoms frequently change in intensity, overall disease activity is best measured by advising patients to document 24-h self evaluation scores for several days. The UAS, i.e. the sum score of 7 consecutive days, should be used in routine clinical practice to determine disease activity and response to treatment of chronic urticaria patients.
Table 1 Assessment of disease activity in urticaria patients
(Table Removed)
The disease activity and the proper management of urticaria, is therefore, principally based on the evaluation of the disease symptoms. In view of this, the objective of this invention is to develop a meter that provides an instant calculation of the Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) based on the above guidelines. This meter can be conveniently carried by patients as well as by doctors or made readily available in medical facilities thus eliminating the need for the doctors to memorize, or always have an access to guidelines to determine the UAS. The calculated UAS would help in readily assessing the extent and severity of the disease and would thus result in better diagnosis and monitoring of the disease by the doctors, thereby leading to a more effective treatment. Moreover, patients can also keep a track of the severity and prognosis of the disease themselves. Better standardization of the treatment and monitoring would be possible with the usage of this Urticaria meter. The meter"s small size, compactness, portability, ease of use, and instant display of result would encourage its continued, regular use and promote adherence to guidelines during disease assessment and treatment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one general aspect, the present invention relates to an urticaria meter for the calculation of Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) comprising a meter casing having: two rotatable discs, mounted on the lower sheet of the meter casing, two score windows cut on the upper sheet of the meter casing adjacent to the said discs, such that the first disc has imprinted thereupon wheal
response and the corresponding wheal score and the second disc has imprinted thereupon the pruritis/itch response and the corresponding pruritis/itch score, and whereby when the wheal response on the first disc is aligned with the first score window, the corresponding wheal score gets automatically aligned and is displayed on the first score window and when the pruritis/itch response on the second disc is aligned with the second score window, the corresponding pruritis/itch score gets automatically aligned and is displayed on the second score window.
In an embodiment of the above aspect, the said first disc has imprinted thereupon wheal response and the corresponding wheal score as: "No wheals" corresponding to a wheal score of 0; "< 20 wheals" corresponding to a wheal score of 1; "20-50 wheals" corresponding to a wheal score of 2; ">50 wheals" corresponding to a wheal score of 3 and the said second rotatable disc has imprinted thereupon pruritis/itch response and the corresponding pruritis/itch score as: "No pruritis/itch" corresponding to a pruritis score of 0; "Mild" corresponding to a pruritis/itch score of 1; "Troublesome" corresponding to a pruritis/itch score of 2; "Severe disturbed sleep" corresponding to a pruritis/itch score of 3.
In another general aspect, the present invention relates to an urticaria meter for the calculation of Urticaria Activity Score (UAS), wherein the Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) is instantly calculated by addition of the wheal score displayed on the first score window and the pruritis/itch score displayed on the second score window.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible exemplary embodiments of the invention.
Figure 1 is the illustration of the urticaria meter constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, showing the meter comprising the meter casing and rotatable discs having all markings thereon.
Figure 2 is the illustration of the urticaria meter constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, showing the meter comprising the meter casing and rotatable discs in a proper position for use and having all markings thereon and displaying the wheal score and the pruritis/itch score on the Urticaria meter. Figure 3 is the illustration of the back side of the urticaria meter.
Figure 4 is the illustration of the urticaria meter open from one side, illustrating the placement and markings on the rotatable discs.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Urticaria meter comprises a meter casing 10. The meter casing 10 is made of, but not limited to paper, cardboard, steel, wood, leather, plastic or any other suitable material. In a preferred embodiment, a cardboard is used. An exemplary meter casing is rectangular in shape, as illustrated in Figures, but any other shape or geometric form or any size may be used. The meter casing 10 may be constructed in various ways. In a preferred way, the meter casing 10 is constructed by folding the cardboard sheet along the fold line 11 and adhesively sealing through the other side. In another embodiment, the meter casing 10 may be constructed by taking two equal sheets of cardboard which can then be adhesively sealed on one or more than one sides.
The meter casing 10 comprises a pair of rotatable discs, first rotatable disc 1 and a second rotatable disc 2 mounted over top of the lower sheet 3 by central fastening means 5 and 5" respectively. The discs are positioned such that they lie above the lower sheet 3 and below the upper sheet 4. Fastening means 5 and 5" extend through the lower sheet 3 to the discs 1 and 2 respectively. These discs can be placed alongside or concentrically. In a preferred embodiment, the discs are placed alongside. The fastening means 5/5" can be a screw, rivet, clip, bolts, studs, nut, pins, rim, clamp and the like. Both the discs 1 and 2 are mounted for free rotation in either direction about their central fastening means 5 and 5" respectively. These discs 1 and 2 can be confined within the meter casing 10 or may extend outwards on either side to allow for convenient rotation.
Adjacent to the first rotatable disc 1, a first score window 6 is cut on the upper sheet of the meter casing 10. This first score window 6 displays the corresponding wheal score 8. Similarly, adjacent to the second rotatable disc 2, the second score window 7 is cut on the upper sheet of the meter casing 10. This second score window 7 displays the corresponding pruritis/itch score 9.
The inner periphery of the first rotatable disc 1 is divided into four segments that are imprinted, etched or otherwise with the wheal responses as "No wheals", "<20 wheals", "20-50 wheals" and ">50 wheals" which can be viewed as such on the meter. These are in alignment with the wheal scores of 0, 1,2 and 3 that are imprinted, etched or otherwise on the outer periphery on the first rotatable disc 1. These wheal scores 8 can be viewed from the first score window 6. The score 0 corresponds to "No wheals", score 1 corresponds to "<20 wheals", score 2 corresponds to "20-50 wheals" and score 3 corresponds to ">50 wheals".
In a similar fashion, the inner periphery of the second rotatable disc 2 is divided into four segments that are imprinted, etched or otherwise with the pruritis/itch responses as "No pruritis", "Mild pruritis", "Troublesome" and "Severe disturbed sleep" which can be viewed as such on the meter. These are in alignment with the scores of 0, 1,2 and 3 that are imprinted, etched or otherwise on the outer periphery on the second rotatable disc 2. These pruritis/itch scores 9 can be viewed from the second score window 7. The score 0 corresponds to "No pruritis", score 1 corresponds to "Mild", score 2 corresponds to "Troublesome" and score 3 corresponds to "Severe disturbed sleep".
The meter casing 10 may optionally be printed with logos identifying the product, the manufacturer, purpose, instructions or directions in the form of written texts and/or graphics and any other information. The urticaria meter 20 may further optionally contain an information leaflet relating to the disease or the meter. Optionally, the meter casing may be suitably laminated for aesthetic purpose and for enhanced durability.
The operation of the said urticaria meter is as follows: When the wheal response on the first rotatable disc 1 is aligned with the first score window 6, the corresponding wheal score gets automatically aligned and is displayed on the said first score window 6. When the pruritis/itch response on the second rotatable disc 2 is aligned with the second score window 7, the corresponding pruritis/itch score gets automatically aligned and is displayed on the said second score window 7. The wheal score displayed on the first score window 6 and the pruritis/itch score displayed on the second score window 7 are then instantly added by the user to calculate Urticaria Activity Score (UAS). For example, the user rotates the first rotatable disc 1 so that the wheal response of ">50 wheals" is aligned with the first score window 6, and the second rotatable disc 2 so that the pruritis/itch response as "Severe disturbed sleep" is aligned with the second score window 7, the first score window 6 will display a wheal score 8 = 3 and the second score window 7 will display a pruritis/itch score 9 = 3. So, the calculated Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) would be 3+3 i.e. 6.
Thus, in accordance with this invention, it is now possible to instantly calculate Urticaria Activity Score (UAS). While exemplary drawings and the presently preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, it is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be limited to the particular embodiments discussed. Thus, the embodiments shall be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be understood that various changes can be made therein by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims and structural and functional equivalents thereof.

WECLA1M:
1. An urticaria meter for the calculation of Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) comprising a meter
casing having: two rotatable discs, mounted on the lower sheet of the meter casing, two
score windows cut on the upper sheet of the meter casing adjacent to the said discs, such
that the first disc has imprinted thereupon wheal response and the corresponding wheal
score and the second disc has imprinted thereupon the pruritis/itch response and the
corresponding pruritis/itch score and
whereby when the wheal response on the said first disc is aligned with the first score window, the corresponding wheal score gets automatically aligned and is displayed on the first score window and when the pruritis/itch response on the said second disc is aligned with the second score window, the corresponding pruritis/itch score gets automatically aligned and is displayed on the second score window.
2. The urticaria meter according to Claim 1, wherein the first disc has imprinted thereupon
wheal response and wheal score as: "No wheals" corresponding to a wheal score of 0; "< 20 wheals" corresponding to a wheal score of 1; "20-50 wheals" corresponding to a wheal score of 2; ">50 wheals" corresponding to a wheal score of 3.
3. The urticaria meter according to Claim 1, wherein the second rotatable disc has imprinted
thereupon pruritis/itch response and pruritis/itch score as: "No pruritis/itch" corresponding to a pruritis score of 0; "Mild" corresponding to a pruritis/itch score of 1; "Troublesome" corresponding to a pruritis/itch score of 2; "Severe disturbed sleep" corresponding to a pruritis/itch score of 3.
4. The urticaria meter according to Claim 1, wherein the Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) is
instantly calculated by addition of the wheal score displayed on the first score window and the pruritis/itch score displayed on the second score window.