Diagnosis and assessment of hand eczema

Abstract

Hand eczema is a common disease in dermatology with a strong predilection for young and middle-aged women. Its etiology is complex, and common causative factors include irritants, allergens, atopic constitution, and so on. The clinical manifestations of hand eczema are diverse, and itching and pain are the main symptoms. It may be classified according to etiology or morphological characteristics, whereas there is still no unified classification system, and it is often classified based on mixed patterns. A suitable scoring system can be used to effectively assess the severity of and therapeutic effect on hand eczema. Currently, common scoring systems involve the hand eczema severity index, Osnabrueck hand eczema severity index, occupational contact dermatitis disease severity index and dermatology life quality index (DLQI). The diagnosis of hand eczema is mainly based on detailed medical history, clinical manifestations and laboratory test results. Key words: Eczema; Hand; Epidemiology; Diagnosis; Injury severity score