title: Quality of life, anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive tendencies in patients with chronic hand eczema.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic hand eczema is a common dermatological disorder of multifactorial aetiology. It affects physical, material, social and psychological aspects of life, thereby impairing health-related quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to assess quality of life, anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive tendencies in patients with chronic hand eczema.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-one patients with chronic hand eczema were included in the study. Quality of life was evaluated according to the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Patients were also assessed for anxiety and depression with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and for compulsive behaviour with the Leyton Trait Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The DLQI score was 11.11 ± 1.81 in patients with chronic hand eczema. Scores on the Leyton Trait Scale were significantly higher than those of healthy controls (p < 0.027). As concerns the HADS-Anxiety subscale, patients with hand dermatitis had statistically significantly higher scores than those of volunteers (p = 0.002). In contrast, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to the HADS-Depression subscale score and total HADS score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hand eczema treatment should address the severity of skin lesions as well as the psychological impact of hand eczema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, 'Andreas Sygros' Hospital, 16121, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Anargyros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kouris
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, 'Andreas Sygros' Hospital, 16121, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Armyra
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon General University Hospital, 10121, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Christodoulou
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Dermatology and Venereology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon General University Hospital, 10121, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katoulis
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, 'Andreas Sygros' Hospital, 16121, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Potouridou
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon General University Hospital, 10121, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Revekka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tsatovidou
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Dermatology and Venereology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Attikon General University Hospital, 10121, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rigopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, 'Andreas Sygros' Hospital, 16121, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kontochristopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004485:Eczema / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: allergic contact dermatitis; irritant contact dermatitis; systemic contact