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A retrospective epidemiological study of skin diseases among pediatric population attending a tertiary dermatology referral center in Northern Greece

Vakirlis, Efstratios ; Theodosiou, Grigorios LU orcid ; Apalla, Zoe ; Arabatzis, Michael ; Lazaridou, Elizabeth ; Sotiriou, Elena ; Lallas, Aimilios and Ioannides, Demetrios (2017) In Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology 10. p.99-104
Abstract

BACKGROUND: The incidence of skin diseases in children is influenced by hereditary, social, and environmental factors. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of pediatric dermatoses at a University Hospital in Northern Greece.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed epidemiologic data of 940 patients, aged 0-18 years, who were referred to the outpatient clinic of a University Hospital between January 2013 and December 2015. Demographic data and the frequency of the various diagnoses in various age groups were studied.

RESULTS: Nine hundred and forty children and adolescents with 1020 diagnoses were included in the study (52.8% females and 47.2% males). The 10 most frequent diagnoses were: dermatitis/eczema... (More)

BACKGROUND: The incidence of skin diseases in children is influenced by hereditary, social, and environmental factors. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of pediatric dermatoses at a University Hospital in Northern Greece.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed epidemiologic data of 940 patients, aged 0-18 years, who were referred to the outpatient clinic of a University Hospital between January 2013 and December 2015. Demographic data and the frequency of the various diagnoses in various age groups were studied.

RESULTS: Nine hundred and forty children and adolescents with 1020 diagnoses were included in the study (52.8% females and 47.2% males). The 10 most frequent diagnoses were: dermatitis/eczema (31.5%), viral infections (12.5%), pigmentary disorders (7.4%), melanocytic nevi (5.8%), alopecia areata (5.8%), acne (5.6%), nail disorders (3.3%), vascular malformations and hemangiomas (2.9%), psoriasis (2.6%), and bacterial infections (2.6%). Atopic dermatitis was the most prevalent dermatosis in all age groups accounting for a total of 20.9% of the study population. A remarkably high incidence of various forms of mastocytosis (2.2%) was seen in our data.

CONCLUSION: Atopic dermatitis is the most frequent pediatric dermatosis in all age groups. Viral infections, pigmentary disorders, and nevi account for a significant proportion of the referrals. The high incidence of mastocytosis in our study may be attributed to overdiagnosis, overestimation due to the relatively small study population, or it may represent the real incidence of mastocytosis in our region. The low incidence of acne in our study may be attributed to the fact that only severe cases are referred to our hospital.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology
volume
10
pages
99 - 104
publisher
Dove Medical Press Ltd.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85020524805
  • pmid:28408849
ISSN
1178-7015
DOI
10.2147/CCID.S130126
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
e64df7d0-81e0-40ef-a963-5b4caba1a5b1
date added to LUP
2020-01-29 20:47:00
date last changed
2024-04-17 03:42:10
@article{e64df7d0-81e0-40ef-a963-5b4caba1a5b1,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: The incidence of skin diseases in children is influenced by hereditary, social, and environmental factors. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of pediatric dermatoses at a University Hospital in Northern Greece.</p><p>PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed epidemiologic data of 940 patients, aged 0-18 years, who were referred to the outpatient clinic of a University Hospital between January 2013 and December 2015. Demographic data and the frequency of the various diagnoses in various age groups were studied.</p><p>RESULTS: Nine hundred and forty children and adolescents with 1020 diagnoses were included in the study (52.8% females and 47.2% males). The 10 most frequent diagnoses were: dermatitis/eczema (31.5%), viral infections (12.5%), pigmentary disorders (7.4%), melanocytic nevi (5.8%), alopecia areata (5.8%), acne (5.6%), nail disorders (3.3%), vascular malformations and hemangiomas (2.9%), psoriasis (2.6%), and bacterial infections (2.6%). Atopic dermatitis was the most prevalent dermatosis in all age groups accounting for a total of 20.9% of the study population. A remarkably high incidence of various forms of mastocytosis (2.2%) was seen in our data.</p><p>CONCLUSION: Atopic dermatitis is the most frequent pediatric dermatosis in all age groups. Viral infections, pigmentary disorders, and nevi account for a significant proportion of the referrals. The high incidence of mastocytosis in our study may be attributed to overdiagnosis, overestimation due to the relatively small study population, or it may represent the real incidence of mastocytosis in our region. The low incidence of acne in our study may be attributed to the fact that only severe cases are referred to our hospital.</p>}},
  author       = {{Vakirlis, Efstratios and Theodosiou, Grigorios and Apalla, Zoe and Arabatzis, Michael and Lazaridou, Elizabeth and Sotiriou, Elena and Lallas, Aimilios and Ioannides, Demetrios}},
  issn         = {{1178-7015}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{99--104}},
  publisher    = {{Dove Medical Press Ltd.}},
  series       = {{Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology}},
  title        = {{A retrospective epidemiological study of skin diseases among pediatric population attending a tertiary dermatology referral center in Northern Greece}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S130126}},
  doi          = {{10.2147/CCID.S130126}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}