Clinical Profile and Patch Test Results among Hand Eczema Patients at a Tertiary Care Institute

Background: Hand eczema is one of the most common dermatological disorders caused by various exogenous and endogenous factors. The condition that is frequently multifactorial, usually disabling or distressing to the sufferer, and often difficult to treat. Aims and Objectives: 1. To study the clinical profile among hand eczema patients. 2. To study the patch test results among hand eczema patients. Methodology: The present study was observational study, non-interventional, non-comparative conducted during October 2013 to December 2015 on 100 patients in OPD of Department of Dermatology at Dr. Vasantrao Pawar Medical College and Research Centre. A diagnosis was made by nomenclature proposed by Epstein. Patients were patch tested with the Indian Standard Battery approved by the Contact and Occupational Dermatoses Forum of India (CODFI). Results: 45 (45%) of patients gave a positive history to aggravation by a contact with detergents and soaps, and 25 (25%) patients for cement. 70 (70%) had bilateral involvement. Out of 100 patients patch tested, 70 patients (70%) gave positive patch test results, 30 patients (30%) were negative for patch test, 49 patients (49%) were sensitive to a single antigen and 21patients (21%) were sensitive to two antigens. Potassium dichromate was the most common sensitizer in male compared to female at the ratio of 2.2:1. Nickel sulfate was the most common sensitizer in females at the ratio of 0.07:1. Conclusion: Hyperkeratotic eczema and patchy vesiculosquamous type of hand dermatitis were the common patterns, but clinical patterns and specific allergen association was inconclusive.