Open Access
American Research Journal of Medicine and Surgery
ISSN (Online): 2379-8955
DOI: 10.46568/arjms
The Dynamics of Dermatitis Presentation Across the Ages in a Tropical Dermatology Practice in Nigeria
1Departments of Internal Medicine (Dermatology Unit) Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital IrruaEdo State, Nigeria
2Departments of Internal Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos State, Nigeria
2Departments of Internal Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos State, Nigeria
Salami T.A.T, Akinkugbe A.O, “The Dynamics of Dermatitis Presentation Across the Ages in a Tropical Dermatology Practice in Nigeria”. American Research Journal of Medicine and Surgery. 2017; 3(1): 1-9.
Abstract
Dermatitis as an inflammatory skin disorder is characterized by erythema and scaling of the cutaneous surface of the body. The pattern of occurrence differs across the ages and varies in different parts of the body.
The records of all patients with a diagnosis of dermatitis presenting to the dermatologic clinic of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua Edo State Nigeria over a ten years period between April 2005 and April 2015 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively and subjected to simple statistical analysis.
One thousand six hundred and twenty patients (1620) with various types of dermatitis were seen during this period representing 22% of all dermatologic presentations. Among the different types of dermatitis encountered, atopic dermatitis accounted for the highest prevalence at 28.1% occurring equally in the young and the old, followed by contact dermatitis occurring in 18.2% of the patients (mainly in young adults). Those with the lowest prevalence were stasis dermatitis (2.4%) and asteatotic eczema (3.6%) both occurring majorly in the elderly. Seborrhoiec dermatitis (8%) and onchodermatitis (5%) were the major infective dermatitis found.
The spread of dermatitis in a tropical dermatology practice from this study varies greatly among different age groups and several factors such as inherent immunity and various environmental conditions from activities of daily living are responsible for these and the knowledge of this variation may help to exclude other lesions such as psoriasis and drug eruptions which can present with a similar clinical picture.
The records of all patients with a diagnosis of dermatitis presenting to the dermatologic clinic of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua Edo State Nigeria over a ten years period between April 2005 and April 2015 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively and subjected to simple statistical analysis.
One thousand six hundred and twenty patients (1620) with various types of dermatitis were seen during this period representing 22% of all dermatologic presentations. Among the different types of dermatitis encountered, atopic dermatitis accounted for the highest prevalence at 28.1% occurring equally in the young and the old, followed by contact dermatitis occurring in 18.2% of the patients (mainly in young adults). Those with the lowest prevalence were stasis dermatitis (2.4%) and asteatotic eczema (3.6%) both occurring majorly in the elderly. Seborrhoiec dermatitis (8%) and onchodermatitis (5%) were the major infective dermatitis found.
The spread of dermatitis in a tropical dermatology practice from this study varies greatly among different age groups and several factors such as inherent immunity and various environmental conditions from activities of daily living are responsible for these and the knowledge of this variation may help to exclude other lesions such as psoriasis and drug eruptions which can present with a similar clinical picture.
Keywords
Dermatitis; Presentation; Ages; Nigeria.
