Abstract
Background: We compared the pattern of cutaneous dermatoses among Iraqi females of all ages between 4 months preceding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the same months 1 year later within the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, that targeted all female patients attending an outpatient clinic for dermatology and venereology in Al-Kindy teaching hospital, Baghdad between October 2019 to the end of January 2020, and the same 4-month duration 1 year later (October 2020 to the end of January 2021) after the COVID-19 peak period had passed and there was no or partial curfew to exclude seasonal impact. Results: A total of 2657 female-patients of all ages were enrolled in this study with 1314 females during the 4 months pre COVID-19, and 1343 females during the pandemic. The mean age of patients presented before the pandemic was 27.2±16.6 years, while the mean age of patients during the pandemic was 28.1±15.6 years with no statistically significant difference in mean ages (P >0.05). Hair loss in general with telogen effluvium specifically increased significantly. Cutaneous contagious viral infections were reduced significantly and specifically of these molluscum contagiosum and condylomata accuminata. Other forms of infections including bacterial and parasitic were also reduced while dermatophytosis was increased but not to a significant level. Acne vulgaris, rosacea, lichen planus, urticaria, pityriasis rosea, seborrheic dermatitis, and vitiligo were increased, but psoriasis, alopecia areata, other types of dermatitis, and melasma were reduced but none to a significant level. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in changes in the pattern of diseases presented to an out-patient clinic for dermatology and venereology. This could be either related to COVID-19 infection or stress associated with the pandemic, because of curfew, or wearing facemasks which maycause a decrease or increase in certain diseases.
Highlights
The first reported case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and after that it spread globally.[1]
The Republic of Iraq officially reported the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on February 24, 2020 in Al-Najaf government and after that it started to increase in all cities of Iraq, and many measurements including total and partial curfew on week-ends had been taken in order to limit spread of infection.[3]
A total of 2657 female patients were enrolled in this study with 1314 before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 1343 1-year into the pandemic.[13]
Summary
The first reported case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and after that it spread globally.[1]. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the profile of dermatological diseases among Iraqi females of all ages before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We compared the pattern of cutaneous dermatoses among Iraqi females of all ages between 4 months preceding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the same months 1 year later within the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in changes in the pattern of diseases presented to an out-patient clinic for dermatology and venereology. This could be either related to COVID-19 infection or stress associated with the pandemic, because of curfew, or wearing facemasks which may cause a decrease or increase in certain diseases
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