Quality of life of patients with dyshidrotic eczema: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction. Dyshidrotic eczema (DE) is a type of true eczema, prone to chronic recurrent course, which has a negative impact on the quality of life of patients. In the domestic literature, insufficient attention is paid to the study of the role and nature of the course of the disease on the daily life of patients with DE.Aim. To study the quality of life in patients of DE. Provide a description of a clinical cases of DE and experience with external therapy.Materials and methods. 105 patients with DE aged 18 to 52 years were included in the study, the mean age was 31.3 ± 8.1 years. The quality of life was assessed using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The Dyshidrotic Eczema Area and Severity Index (DASI) was used to clinically assess the severity of DE.Results. All patients suffering from DE noted a negative impact of the skin process on the quality of life. At the same time, the average DLQI score in all patients was 6.99 ± 4.6, which indicates a moderate undesirable effect of DE on the quality of life, without statistically significant differences by gender. The average DASI score was 12.6 ± 8.8, which indicates a predominance of mild DE in the sample. In women, a process of moderate severity was more often diagnosed and the DASI index was 13.2 ± 8.5. The study demonstrated that the female gender is more susceptible to the influence of DE symptoms on the quality of life, regardless of the severity and extent of the skin process, and minimal changes in the skin can have a negative impact on the quality of life. The article presents clinical examples of successful treatment of DE localized on the skin of the hands with an external preparation containing a combination of 0.05% betamethasone dipropionate, 0.1% gentamicin sulfate and 1% clotrimazole.Conclusion. DE is a common condition and affects quality of life. Proper diagnosis is essential for effective and efficient treatment. External therapy with the inclusion of a cream (ointment) containing a combination of 0.05% betamethasone dipropionate, 0.1% gentamicin sulfate and 1% clotrimazole gives better results and increases satisfaction with the treatment of patients with DE.