Hand eczema: causes, course, and prognosis II.
BACKGROUND
Hand eczema is a common dermatosis, often with a chronic course.


OBJECTIVE
To follow a well-described cohort of patients with hand eczema for 5 years.


METHODS
522 consecutive hand eczema patients (175 men and 347 women) seen in a private practice of dermatology were sent a questionnaire once a year for 5 years.


RESULTS
After 1 year, the response rate was 80% (417 of 522), and after 5 years, the rate was 68%. After 1 year, 81% of the 417 respondents reported that they still had persistent or intermittent hand eczema. After 5 years, this number was 65% (232 of 355). The larger the area involved at the initial examination, the poorer the prognosis. After 1 year, 48% of the patients felt that their hand eczema had improved, while 6.7% felt that it had worsened. 25% of those who responded stated that they never used gloves. Few patients could provide new information about the cause of the dermatitis during the 5-year follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Hand eczema is a chronic dermatosis. Although treatment may improve hand eczema, it rarely clears completely. Evidence-based measures need to be developed for the long-term management of hand eczema.
Veien
Niels K
NK
The Dermatology Clinic, Vesterbro 99, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark. veien@dadlnet.dk
Hattel
Thais
T
Laurberg
Grete
G
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017575:Gloves, Protective / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires