title: Factors associated with combined hand and foot eczema.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As for hand eczema, the aetiology of foot eczema is multifactorial and not very well understood. The aim of the present study was to identify factors associated with foot eczema in a cohort of hand eczema patients being classified into different subgroups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Associations between foot and hand eczema were studied in a cross-sectional design in a cohort of hand eczema patients. Consecutive patients were recruited from nine different European Centres during the period October 2011-September 2012. Data on demographic factors, presence of foot eczema, hand eczema duration and severity, and whether the hand eczema was work-related or not were available, as well as patch-test results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a total of 427 hand eczema patients identified, information on foot eczema was available in 419 patients who were included in the present study. A total of 125 patients (29.8%) had concomitant foot and hand eczema. It was found more often in association with hyperkeratotic hand eczema (P = 0.007) and was less often associated with irritant hand eczema (P < 0.001). However, foot eczema was nevertheless found in 18% of patient with irritant hand eczema and in 25% of patients with occupational hand eczema. Combined foot and hand eczema was associated with more severe and long-standing hand eczema (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). Contact allergy was found in 51.8% with no difference between patients with combined foot and hand eczema and patients with hand eczema only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occurrence of combined foot and hand eczema is a common finding and not restricted to endogenous hand eczema.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen NV, Denmark.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Agner
authors: Occupational Medicine, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Aalto-Korte
authors: Department of Dermatology and Allergy Centre, Centre for Innovative Medical Technology, Odense University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors: K E
authors: KE
authors: Andersen
authors: Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, Dermatological Clinic, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Foti
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hospital del Mar, Institut Mar d'Investigacions Mediques, Universitat Autònoma, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gimenéz-Arnau
authors: Clinic of Dermatology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Goncalo
authors: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Goossens
authors: Cabinet de Dermatologie, Strasbourg, France.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Le Coz
authors: Department of Clinical Social Medicine, Occupational & Environmental Dermatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: T L
authors: TL
authors: Diepgen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged