The management of Chronic Hand Eczema: A retrospective patient record review

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundChronic Hand Eczema (CHE) is a heterogeneous fluctuating inflammatory disease that represents a significant burden. Effective treatment options for moderate to severe CHE are limited.ObjectivesTo assess how patients with moderate to severe CHE are treated in clinical practice.MethodsA retrospective, physician‐led patient record review assessed the demographic, clinical and treatment characteristics of patients aged ≥18 years with CHE across seven countries. Each participating physician was requested to review records for their three most recent patients with moderate to severe CHE treated with a topical or systemic therapy.ResultsA total of 264 physicians, of whom 88.6% were dermatologists and 70.1% were predominantly or partly hospital‐based, reviewed the records of 792 patients. Signs were present on hands only in 56.4% of patients and the mean time on current treatment was 16.7 months. Overall, 62.9% of patients received systemic therapy and almost one‐quarter (23.4%) were treated with a biologic; 28.6% of patients were only treated with topical corticosteroids and/or topical calcineurin inhibitors.ConclusionIn patients with moderate to severe CHE, most received systemic therapy with one‐quarter on biologic therapy. However, given that many of these treatments have limited evidence of efficacy in CHE, there is a need for studies specifically in patients with CHE as well as new therapeutic options.