Prevalence Of Hand Eczema Research Articles

Long-term follow-up of hand eczema in hairdressers: a prospective cohort study of Danish hairdressers graduating from 1985 to 2007.

Occupational hand eczema is common among hairdressers and implementing effective preventive measures requires a good understanding of the disease's epidemiology. To investigate the long-term development of hand eczema (HE) in hairdressers. A prospective cohort study of all hairdressers graduating from Danish hairdressing vocational schools from 1985 to 2007 was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was sent in 2009 with follow-up in 2020. Data from the Danish labour market supplementary pension scheme provided information on yearly affiliation with the hairdressing trade. The cumulative lifetime prevalence of HE increased from 42.3% at baseline to 45.2% at follow-up (odds ratio [OR], 1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-1.2). The incidence rate decreased from 42.8 cases/1000 person-years (95% CI, 40.8-44.8) at baseline to 3.4 cases/1000 person-years (95% CI, 2.5-4.6) within the follow-up period. HE onset occurred within 8 years of beginning an apprenticeship for >90% of cases and occurred within the apprenticeship period for 68% of cases. The risk factors associated with having had HE at baseline were a previous positive patch test (adjusted OR [aOR], 5.3; 95% CI, 4.2-6.6), a history of atopic dermatitis (aOR, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.9-4.0) and female sex (aOR, 1.8; 95% CI 1.4-2.3). The most important risk factors at follow-up were previous HE (aOR, 10.1; 95% CI, 7.3-13.8) and a positive patch test within the follow-up period (aOR, 4.5; 95% CI, 3.0-6.8). Among the hairdressers who had HE at baseline, 65.5% exhibited remission, whereas 34.6% had persistent and often severe HE at follow-up. Hairdressers with persistent HE were the subgroup of the study population most frequently affected by the risk factors identified for HE. Primary prevention of HE should focus on hairdressing apprentices and fully trained hairdressers who have recently graduated. Approximately one-third of trained hairdressers develop persistent and often severe HE, emphasizing the need for early intervention.

An update on the prevalence and risk exposures associated with hand eczema in Danish hospital employees: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study.

Hand eczema (HE) is common in health care workers (HCWs). During the last decade, new recommendations have supported increased use of alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) to partially replace hand washings to lower the prevalence of HE. However, newer data on this recommendation is lacking. To assess current 1-year prevalence of HE in HCWs, to investigate exposure, and the extent of subjective discomfort to hand washings and ABHR. A digital questionnaire was sent to 4876 HCWs from April to May 2020. Of 2125 respondents (1779 women, 346 men), 14.7% reported HE within the last year. In total, 9.1% reported >20 hand washings per shift and 76.0% reported ABHR use >20 times per shift. HE was significantly associated with hand washings (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.73 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-2.36]) and glove use on wet skin (adjusted OR 1.99 [95% CI 1.27-3.12]). Subjective discomfort to ABHR was reported significantly more often than to hand washings (P< .001) and significantly more often in HCWs with HE than in those without HE (P< .001). The current 1-year HE prevalence in HCWs of 14.7% was lower than in previously reported Scandinavian data. HE was related to frequent hand washings, as previously reported, and to glove use on wet skin, which is a possible risk factor for HE that should be further explored.

Investigation of the prevalence of hand eczema among healthcare professionals in Turkey: A cross-sectional study.

Hand eczema is one of the common occupational dermatoses, having high prevalence among healthcare professionals (HCP). We found no epidemiological data in the literature concerning the prevalence of hand eczema among HCP in Turkey. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of hand eczema among HCP in Turkey and to determine the demographic characteristics and risk factors that cause eczema. A clinical assessment- and questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 734 HCP working in a tertiary hospital. Demographic characteristics and personal and occupational risk factors were evaluated in terms of the development of hand eczema. The survey response rate was 81.8%. The point prevalence of eczema was 27.6%, and the 12-month prevalence was 45.9%. Age, occupation, duration of work, atopic diseases, handwashing frequency, dry skin, moisturizing frequency, and presence and duration of glove use were important factors in the development of hand eczema. Powdered glove reaction was significantly higher in those with hand eczema (p=0.0001). The prevalence of hand eczema is high among HCP in Turkey. Combining self-reported questionnaires with clinical examination findings can provide a more accurate calculation of the prevalence of hand eczema. The availability of epidemiological data on hand eczema can provide guidelines for the prevention and treatment of this condition. Except for situations requiring absolute handwashing, disinfecting hands with alcohol-based lotions and applying a powder-free policy in all healthcare centers will reduce the prevalence of hand eczema among HCP.

The prevalence and risk factors of hand eczema among emergency healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim: The preventive measures to decelerate the spread of the novel coronavirus include intense hand sanitizing which is a risk factor for hand eczema. Occupational hand eczema is common among healthcare workers due to their exposure to wet work and chemical irritants. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of hand eczema among healthcare workers currently working in the emergency department and investigate the alterations regarding the risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic that began in March 2020 in Turkey. Materials and Methods: An online survey was sent to healthcare workers in emergency departments all over Turkey. Participants were asked to evaluate their frequency of hand washing, hand eczema, glove use and moisturizer use as prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hand eczema and associated symptoms were self-reported. Results: Three hundred fifty-four healthcare workers, consisting of 260 emergency physicians and 94 nurses returned the survey. The prevalence of HE among 354 participants with a median age of 32 was 48.6% (n=161). HE was associated with having an atopic history (p&amp;lt;0.001). 54.8% (n=194) of the participants reported having symptoms associated with HE prior to the pandemic and the rate increased significantly to 64.7% (n=229) during the pandemic (p&amp;lt;0.001). The exposure to the risk factors of hand eczema such as hand washing frequency and duration of glove use showed a relevant increase during the pandemic (p&amp;lt;0.001). As well as moisturizer applying frequency which also increased during the pandemic (p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion: With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Healthcare workers intensified their hand hygiene practices as recommended and increased their risk for hand eczema.

Increased prevalence of irritant hand eczema in health care workers in a dermatological clinic due to increased hygiene measures during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

BackgroundHand hygiene measures in the general population and in health care workers have increased considerably since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.ObjectivesTo investigate the prevalence and symptoms of hand eczema, as well as hygiene measures and concepts of care, in German health care workers.Materials & MethodsThis was an observational questionnaire study to investigate hygiene and skin care habits, as well as the prevalence and symptoms of hand eczema in 66 nurses and doctors of our dermatology department before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.ResultsHand washing and hand disinfection procedures increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-diagnosed hand eczema was reported by 33% of the participants, with a median duration of 14 days. The majority of staff currently affected by hand eczema were free of eczema a month previously (82%) and would treat their skin condition with emollients (77%). Erythema, scaling, burning and fissures were reported by 66.1% of the participants and were classified as predominant signs of toxic-irritant hand dermatitis rather than contact allergy.ConclusionOverall, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to a significant increase in the incidence of signs of irritant hand eczema despite intensified emollient use as a preventive measure. Awareness of the prevalence of hand eczema in health care workers in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic should be raised, and preventive measures should be intensified.

Hand Hygiene Habits and Prevalence of Hand Eczema During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose:This study aimed to explore the prevalence of and possible risk factors for hand eczema with respect to the dissemination of information about new hand hygiene habits to protect against ongoing COVID-19 cross-transmission. The authors conducted a survey among health care workers (HCWs) and non-HCW populations in Khon Kaen, Thailand.Results:A total of 805 participants participated. The prevalence of hand eczema in the study population was 20.87%. There were several risk factors, including working as a HCW, having a history of previous hand eczema, having underlying atopic dermatitis, wearing gloves in everyday life, and washing hands frequently (more than 10 times/day). Hand hygiene with alcohol-based products was shown to be a risk factor for hand eczema, (OR (95% CI) 1.86 (1.03-3.35), P = .04).Conclusion:In terms of hand eczema prevention, we suggest that the use of alcohol-based products should be discontinued if other handwashing methods are available. The following factors increase the risk of hand eczema: being a HCW, having previous hand eczema, and having underlying atopic dermatitis. Proper strategies in terms of hand eczema prevention should be addressed, especially in this group, since we need to continue performing hand hygiene during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Increased occurrence of hand eczema in young children following the Danish hand hygiene recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic of Spring 2020, Denmark was one of the first countries to introduce lockdown measures, including closing of all daycare centers. Following the reopening of daycare centers, Danish Health Authorities implemented a mandatory intensive hand hygiene regimen. To examine the occurrence and point prevalence of hand eczema as a consequence of more intensive hand hygiene among Danish children attending daycare. The heads of 1667 daycare centers in Denmark were contacted and asked to forward a link to a questionnaire to parents of the children attending the daycare center. Among 6858 children, 12.1% had hand eczema before reopening of daycare centers, whereas 38.3% reported hand eczema after the children returned to daycare. Of the children who never had hand eczema, 28.6% developed hand eczema after returning to daycare. The risk of hand eczema was significantly associated with atopic dermatitis, female gender, higher age, and frequency of handwashing. Following the implemented hygiene regimen, a high proportion of young children rapidly developed hand eczema. Well-established prophylactic skin care might have spared a proportion of the children from developing hand eczema.

197 Altered epidermal function in uninvolved skin supports a pathogenic role of epidermal dysfunction in hand eczema

Although compromised epidermal permeability barrier can contribute to the development of contact dermatitis, whether subjects with hand eczema display abnormalities in epidermal permeability barrier function in their uninvolved skin remains unknown. We assess here epidermal permeability barrier function in subjects with or without hand eczema. All volunteers were recruited from clothing manufacturers in Guangdong, China. Epidermal functions, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL) rates, stratum corneum (SC) hydration and skin surface pH were measured on the flexural surface of the left forearm in all volunteers. These epidermal functions were compared among cohorts of subjects with active hand eczema, a prior history of hand eczema and without any history of hand eczema. A total of 650 questionnaires were collected from 462 females and 188 males. Thirty five subjects (5.4%) currently had hand eczema, while 28 subjects (4.3%) reported a prior history of hand eczema that was inactive currently. Neither a prior personal nor a family history of allergies was associated with the prevalence of hand eczema. But certain occupations and frequent contact with disinfectants were independently associated with the prevalence of hand eczema. Males displayed higher TEWL rates and SC hydration levels than did females. Both skin surface pH and TEWL rates differed significantly among normal controls and subjects with active hand eczema, or a prior history of hand eczema (p<0.05).In conclusion, the uninvolved skin site of subjects with hand eczema exhibits abnormalities in epidermal permeability barrier, supporting a pathogenic role of epidermal dysfunction in hand eczema. Whether subjects with hand eczema in other occupations also display altered epidermal function on uninvolved skin remains to be explored.

Altered Epidermal Permeability Barrier Function in the Uninvolved Skin Supports a Role of Epidermal Dysfunction in the Pathogenesis of Occupational Hand Eczema

Although a compromised epidermal permeability barrier can contribute to the development of contact dermatitis, whether subjects with hand eczema display abnormalities in baseline epidermal permeability barrier function in their uninvolved skin remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to assess epidermal permeability barrier function in subjects with and without hand eczema in clothing manufacturers. Upon approval by the institutional review board, volunteers were recruited from clothing manufacturers in Guangzhou City, China. An 11-item questionnaire was used to collect general data from the volunteers. The diagnoses of self-proclaimed hand eczema were further confirmed by a dermatologist. Epidermal biophysical properties, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL) rates, stratum corneum hydration and skin surface pH were measured on the flexural surface of the left forearm in all volunteers. Epidermal biophysical properties were compared among cohorts of subjects with active hand eczema, a prior history of hand eczema and without any history of hand eczema. A total of 650 questionnaires were collected from 462 females and 188 males, with a mean age of 36.7 ± 0.46 years (range 16–69 years; 95% CI 35.8–37.59). Thirty-five subjects (5.4%) currently had hand eczema, while 28 subjects (4.3%) reported a prior history of hand eczema that was inactive currently. The prevalence of hand eczema did not differ significantly between genders. Neither a prior personal nor a family history of allergies was associated with the prevalence of hand eczema, but certain occupations and frequent contact with disinfectants were independently associated with the prevalence of hand eczema. In the overall cohort, males displayed higher TEWL rates and stratum corneum hydration levels than did females. Both skin surface pH and TEWL rates differed significantly among normal controls and subjects with active hand eczema or a prior history of hand eczema (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the uninvolved skin site of subjects with hand eczema exhibits abnormalities in epidermal perme­ability barrier, supporting a pathogenic role of epidermal dysfunction in hand eczema. Whether subjects with hand eczema in other occupations also display altered epidermal function on uninvolved skin remains to be explored.

An overlooked risk for healthcare workers amid COVID-19: Occupational hand eczema.

OBJECTIVE:Hand hygiene, one of the most critical preventive methods against Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) cross-transmission, has increased during the COVID-19 outbreak. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of hand eczema (HE) and associated symptoms in healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 outbreak.METHODS:We distributed a self-administered online survey to physicians and nurses in Kahramanmaras, Turkey. The survey included questions about HE-associated symptoms and risk factors before and during the pandemic.RESULTS:Five hundred sixty-four individuals (349 physicians and 215 nurses) answered the survey. Post-COVID-19, the prevalence of HE increased from 6.6% to 11.7% and the prevalence of HE-associated symptoms increased from 39.5% to 79.3%. Female gender (odds ratio [OR]: 3.92; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.12–7.25), a history of atopic diseases (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.03–2.8), more frequent handwashing (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01–1.05), and more frequent use of moisturizers (OR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.01–1.24) were independently associated with the risk of HE-associated symptoms.CONCLUSION:Because of increased handwashing during the COVID-19 outbreak, there is a significant increase in HE-associated symptoms in HCWs. Proper education and preventive strategies for HE are urgently needed for HCWs fighting on the front lines of COVID-19.

Prevalence and pattern of hand eczema in a tertiary referral hospital of Nepal

Background: Hand eczema is a very common condition that has a significant effect on an individual’s life in terms of daily functioning including various occupations. Studies show that the point prevalence of hand eczema is around 4% and the lifetime prevalence is 15%.&#x0D; Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and pattern of hand eczemas in patients attending the Dermatology outpatient department of Bir hospital.&#x0D; Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study, where all the cases of hand eczema who presented to the Dermatology Out-Patient Department of Bir Hospital during the period from Baisakh 2075 till Chaitra 2075 B.S were recorded.&#x0D; Results: Eczema was diagnosed in 5,100 new cases (15.74%) and among them, hand eczema was seen in 494 cases, which accounts for 9.68% of all eczemas. The mean age was 37.43 years. Out of all the hand eczemas recorded, 334 (67.6%) were unspecified hand eczemas, pompholyx was seen in 92 (18.6%) cases, chronic hand eczema in 27 (5.5%), contact dermatitis in 20 (4%) patients and finger tip eczema was seen in 15 (3%) cases.&#x0D; Conclusion: Hand eczema is one of the common dermatological conditions. Our study showed the prevalence of hand eczema to be 9.68%.

Epidemiology of hand eczema in Germany : A retrospective view of the past 10 years of hand eczema research in Germany

There is alack of epidemiological data describing patterns of hand eczema with reference to the general German population. Epidemiological data were extracted from all internationally published clinical studies which investigated hand eczema in Germany. A search was carried out for all clinical studies performed in Germany in the previous 10years involving hand eczema patients. Inclusion criteria were that at least one author was listed with aGerman affiliation, that the study included original data and was published in an international journal with peer review. This review included 39studies, which were performed based on 29original data sets. The median proportion of women was 53.7% and the median age 45.1 years. The 1‑year prevalence of hand eczema varied depending on the sample and type of data collection from 0.24% to 9.2%. The lifetime prevalence was estimated to be 2.6-16.0% and the point prevalence in dermatological practice was 6.7 %. In studies assessing the impact of hand eczema in specific occupations, women were underrepresented, large studies were carried out for metal workers but only a few small studies for nursing personnel. There is alack of knowledge concerning the epidemiology of hand eczema in the general German population. While international studies found the first occurrence of hand eczema to be between the ages of 26 and 28years, the mean age of patients seen in private dermatological practice in Germany was 20years higher. These findings suggest that patients do not consult adermatologist when hand eczema first appears, which can lead to amore severe course of the disease.

The Prevalence of Hand Eczema and Its Determinants Among Female Hairdressers: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Introduction:Female hairdressers are exposed to various chemicals in their occupation which may lead to skin problems such as hand eczema.This study aimed to determine the one-year prevalence of hand eczema and its risk factors in a sample of Northwest Iranian female hairdressers in 2015.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional investigation in which 385 female hairdressers and 385 women from general population were selected as case and control, respectively.The prevalence of one-year hand eczema was obtained by Nordic occupationl skin questionnaireusing face-to-face interview. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (chi-square, independent t-test and logistic regression in SPSS software version 19).Results:The mean and standard deviation of age and work experience of hairdressers were 33.16 ± 7.2 and 8.72 ± 5.7 years, respectively.The prevalence of one-year hand eczema in hairdressers and control group were 27.8% (95%CI=23.22 -32.22) and 13.2% (95%CI=9.02-15.58), respectively. The Odds Ratio (OR) for hand eczema in the hairdressers was 2.52 (95%CI=1.72-3.64), compared to the control group as the reference. Using logistic regression analysis smoking habit [OR=3.44 (95%CI=1.73-6.85)],age less than 30 years [OR=1.76 (95%CI=1.04-2.96)] and working experience less than10 years [OR=3.14 (95%CI=1.63-6.04)]were independent risk factors for reporting one-year prevalence of hand eczemaConclusion:Female hairdressers were more likely to be at risk of developing hand eczema compared to general population. Smoking habit, younger age, and less work experience were the significant risk factors of hand eczema in hairdressers. Occupational health interventions should consider these factors in the control of hand eczema in hairdressers.

Hand eczema in nurses, nursing auxiliaries and cleaners-A cross-sectional study from a tertiary hospital in western India.

Healthcare workers have a high risk of developing hand eczema. To determine the prevalence and severity of dermatologist-determined hand eczema among healthcare workers, carry out patch testing, and correlate the findings with impairment in quality of life (QoL) and demographic and vocational factors. Seven hundred and ten healthcare workers (279 nurses, 246 cleaners, and 185 nursing auxiliaries) were screened for the presence of hand eczema. Severity of eczema was calculated with the Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI), and QoL was measured with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Individuals with hand eczema were also patch tested. The point and 1-year prevalences of hand eczema were 7.2% and 18.9%, respectively. Hand eczema was significantly associated with atopic dermatitis. The mean HECSI score was 9.39; it was significantly higher in patients with atopic dermatitis and those with recurrent hand eczema. The mean DLQI score was 5.37. Cleaning staff had significantly greater impairment in QoL. HECSI and DLQI scores were positively correlated. Patch testing showed that thiuram mix, antibiotics and cleansers as sensitizers were over-represented in healthcare workers as compared with controls. Hand eczema was particularly common in hospital cleaners and staff with atopic dermatitis. Further studies are needed to address the burden of occupational hand eczema and develop guidelines for its management at a national level.

The association between atopic dermatitis and hand eczema: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) and hand eczema (HE) are common chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin conditions that often co-occur. While several studies have addressed their relationship, the exact association estimate is unknown. We systematically reviewed published literature on the association between AD and HE in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science using the following search terms: (atopic dermatitis OR atopic eczema) AND (hand dermatitis OR hand eczema). Meta-analyses were then performed to examine the association between AD and the point, 1-year and lifetime prevalence of HE, respectively. We identified 35 relevant studies, of which 26 were included in the meta-analyses. AD was associated with an increased prevalence of HE with regard to point [odds ratio (OR) 2·35; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·47-3·76], 1-year (OR 4·29; 95% CI 3·13-5·88) and lifetime prevalence (OR 4·06; 95% CI 2·72-6·06). Furthermore, positive associations between AD and occupational HE were identified when assessing the 1-year (OR 4·31; 95% CI 2·08-8·91) and lifetime prevalence (OR 2·81; 95% CI 2·08-3·79). Similar positive associations were found in the general population studies, i.e. OR 4·19 (95% CI 3·46-5·08) and OR 5·69 (95% CI 4·41-7·36). Important study limitations include the wide use of questionnaire studies, and lack of prospective studies as well as poor clinical phenotype descriptions. In conclusion, our systematic review and meta-analysis showed that patients with AD had a strongly increased prevalence of HE. Clinicians should continue to guide patients with AD away from occupations with a high risk of HE.

The association between atopic dermatitis and hand eczema: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Summary Atopic dermatitis (AD), a common type of eczema, is a skin disease of early childhood. It causes intense itching and dry skin. Most children and adults experience eczema of the flexures (bends of the knees and elbows), but some adult patients also have eczema on the face, hands and feet. Traditional atopic hand eczema (HE) is located on the dorsal aspects (backs) of the hands, probably because the skin is thinner here than on the palms. However, AD also increases the risk of HE that develops due to irritants such as soap and water, so-called ‘irritant contact dermatitis’. This subtype of HE often begins on the skin between or on the sides of the fingers but can be located anywhere on the hands including the palms. Importantly, HE can prevent people being able to work and can reduce their enjoyment and quality of life. The present study looked into the link between AD and HE by reviewing published literature and scientific studies. In each study we searched for data on the association between AD and HE. We combined the results from 26 studies, which showed that patients with present or past AD had a 3 to 4-fold increased risk of HE when looking at one-year- and lifetime prevalence of HE (meaning people who developed HE at any point over the course of a given year, or ever in their lives so far, even if they did not have it currently). A slightly weaker association was found when studying the link with current HE. Similar positive associations were found when looking at HE due to exposure to irritants from different occupations, and HE reported in the general population. In conclusion, our analysis showed that patients with AD had a strongly increased likelihood of HE. Clinicians should continue to guide patients with AD away from occupations with high risk of HE where possible. Furthermore, future studies should focus on the importance of determining the association between AD and different types of HE.

Prevalence and risk factors of hand eczema in hospital-based nurses in northern China.

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of hand eczema among nurses in northern China and to analyse associated risk factors. A retrospective self-reported questionnaire was designed and distributed to 1322 nurses who were selected from three regional hospitals. Risk factors related to hand eczema in nurses were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Hand eczema was present in 183/934 respondents (20%) and was not significantly associated with gender or workplace (P > 0.05). Factors such as the use of moisturiser (odds ratio [OR] 0.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3-1.0) and not wearing impervious gloves (OR 0.5; 95% CI 0.3-0.7) were associated with lower odds of developing hand eczema. A personal (OR 5.7; 95% CI 3.9-8.2) and family history (OR 2.3; 95% CI 1.5-3.5) of atopy, washing hands more than 20 times per day (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1-2.4), and more years working as a nurse (OR 1.1; 95% CI 1.0-1.1) were associated with higher odds of developing hand eczema. A personal and familial history of atopy, the prolonged use of impervious gloves, washing hands more than 20 times per day and more years in work as a nurse are all risk factors for increased hand eczema in nurses.

Prevalence of, and work‐related risk factors for, hand eczema in a Norwegian general population (The HUNT Study)

Chemical exposures at work and at home may cause hand eczema. However, this has been scarcely described for Norway. To investigate the prevalence of, and occupational risk factors for, hand eczema in Norway. Among 50 805 respondents (aged ≥20 years) to the third Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT3), 5757 persons reported ever having hand eczema, and 4206 answered a hand eczema questionnaire. The lifetime prevalences of hand eczema were 8.4% in men and 13.8% in women (p < 0.001), with onset at age ≤10 years in 24% (men) and 20% (women), and onset at age ≥30 years in 37% (men) and 25% (women) (p < 0.001). Work-related hand eczema affected 4.8% of the population, and was most frequently associated with health/social work (29%) and occupational cleaning (20%) in women, and with farming (26%) and industrial occupations (27%) in men. Cleaning detergents (75%) and other chemicals (36%) were the most common exacerbating factors. The prevalence of hand eczema was 11.3%, and that of work-related hand eczema was 4.8%. Hand eczema was more common in women than in men, but with a later onset in men. Cleaning detergents were the most common aggravating factors. A large proportion of the Nord-Trøndelag population is employed in farming, providing the possibility to identify farming as an important risk factor for hand eczema.

Hand eczema and steroid-refractory chronic hand eczema in general practice: prevalence and initial treatment.

The self-reported annual prevalence of hand eczema (HE) in adults is about 10%. Incidence and prevalence data for HE, chronic HE (CHE) and steroid-refractory CHE (SR-CHE) in physician-attended populations are lacking. To estimate the prevalences of HE, CHE and SR-CHE in a primary-care population using a cross-sectional design; and to estimate the incidence of each and describe initial therapy using a cohort approach. The population was all patients in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink for 2000-10, 2005-10 and 2010-11. HE was defined as any of 12 diagnoses (six specific to the hand, six for contact dermatitis). HE became CHE if any of these 12, or three additional diagnoses, occurred 90-365 days after the first HE, and if the patient was prescribed at least one course of potent topical steroids. A patient with CHE was classified as having SR-CHE if they were (i) referred to a dermatologist and/or (ii) prescribed phototherapy, systemic immunomodulators, oral corticosteroids, alitretinoin or acitretin. The 1-year adult prevalence of HE was 0·4%. The period prevalences of SR-CHE for 1, 5 and 10 years in adults were 0·008%, 0·036% and 0·072%, respectively; lifetime estimates were 0·071%, 0·080%, 0·098%. About one-half of cases of CHE were steroid refractory. All conditions were more common in female than in male patients. One-third of HE diagnoses were specific for the hand, the remainder were for contact dermatitis. The majority (62%) of newly diagnosed patients with HE were not prescribed treatment in the 12 months after diagnosis. Although the prevalence of HE could be 2-3 times higher than reported herein, the proportion of adults seeking medical care for HE is a fraction of those who self-report HE. SR-CHE is rare.

Self-reported hand eczema among dental workers in Japan - a cross-sectional study.

Dental workers are considered to have a high risk of developing occupational hand eczema. To estimate the prevalence of work-related hand eczema and associated risk factors in dental workers in Japan. A self-administered questionnaire was sent by mail to all dental clinics of Kumamoto City, Japan. In addition, patch testing with 24 dentistry-related allergens was offered. In total, 46.4% of dental workers (n = 528: response 31.4%, based on 97 clinics) reported a lifetime history of chronic hand eczema. The 1-year prevalence was 36.2%. According to logistic regression analysis, the most important risk factors for the 1-year prevalence were a personal history of atopic dermatitis [odds ratio (OR) 4.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.2-8.8], asthma and/or allergic rhinitis (OR 2.0, 95%CI: 1.3-3.0), dry skin (OR 1.7, 95%CI: 1.1-2.7), shorter duration of work (OR 2.0, 95%CI: 1.2-3.5 for up to 10 years versus >20 years), and washing hands >10 times per day (OR 1.6, 95%CI: 1.0-2.5). Fifty-four workers were patch tested. Rubber chemicals and acrylates were the most frequent occupationally relevant contact allergens. Dental workers in Japan have a high prevalence of hand eczema. Health education to prevent hand eczema and more frequent patch testing are needed.