Prevalence of onychomycosis in patients with autoimmune diseases.
BACKGROUND
Onychomycosis is the most common nail disorder in adults. Many studies reported a higher prevalence of onychomycosis among particular patients, such as those with diabetes, poor peripheral circulation or immunosuppression. However, studies of the prevalence of onychomycosis in autoimmune patients who carry many of these predisposing factors have been limited


OBJECTIVE
Study the prevalence of onychomycosis in autoimmune compared to non-autoimmune female patients.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of the prevalence of onychomycosis in autoimmune patients and non-autoimmune female patients visiting a dermatology clinic over a period of 18 months. One hundred and sixty-five female autoimmune patients were enrolled.


RESULTS
The prevalence of onychomycosis in autoimmune patients was 10.2% (95%CI 6.5%, 15.9%) compared to 6.7% (95%CI 3.8%, 11.6%), in non-autoimmune patients (p > 0.05, 2-sided). Of vesiculobullous patients, mainly presenting with pemphigus and who were mostly on immunosuppressive medication, 24% had onychomycosis [p = 0.013; OR 4.39 (95%CI 1.27, 14.89)].


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to humid microenvironments was an important factor in the occurrence of onychomycosis (p < 0.05, 2-sided). However, the number of patients with each individual disease was too small to conclude a prevalence of onychomycosis in conjunction with these individual cutaneous autoimmune diseases.
Tuchinda
Papapit
P
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Boonchai
Waranya
W
Prukpaisarn
Puangpetch
P
Maungprasat
Chanai
C
Suthipinittharm
Puan
P
D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000188:drug therapy; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents