Quality of life, anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive tendencies in patients with chronic hand eczema

Summary Background Chronic hand eczema is a common dermatological disorder of multifactorial aetiology. It affects physical, material, social and psychological aspects of life, thereby impairing health-related quality of life. Objectives The aim of the present study was to assess quality of life, anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive tendencies in patients with chronic hand eczema. Materials and methods Seventy-one patients with chronic hand eczema were included in the study. Quality of life was evaluated according to the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Patients were also assessed for anxiety and depression with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and for compulsive behaviour with the Leyton Trait Scale. Results The DLQI score was 11.11 ± 1.81 in patients with chronic hand eczema. Scores on the Leyton Trait Scale were significantly higher than those of healthy controls (p < 0.027). As concerns the HADS-Anxiety subscale, patients with hand dermatitis had statistically significantly higher scores than those of volunteers (p = 0.002). In contrast, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to the HADS-Depression subscale score and total HADS score. Conclusion Hand eczema treatment should address the severity of skin lesions as well as the psychological impact of hand eczema. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Hidradenitis suppurativa: an update on connecting the tracts

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a devastating disease involving abscesses, sinus tracts, and inflammation classically affecting the axilla, groin, and/or anogenital region. Although the disease pathogenesis is not fully understood, recent advances suggest that HS pathology runs much deeper than the cutaneous manifestations. It is now believed that HS is a systemic inflammatory disease that gives rise to the characteristic cutaneous manifestations. This disease is problematic for both patients and physicians to manage because of a variety of diagnostic and management difficulties. This article seeks to provide updates on the current understanding of HS to increase awareness and improve management