Clinico-etiological study of pediatric dermatoses in tertiary health care hospital in East-coast Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Pediatric dermatoses vary vastly from adult dermatoses in clinical presentation, treatment and prognosis and are more influenced by socioeconomic status, climatic exposure, dietary habits, external environment, thereby needing a special view in this field. The present study was carried to determine the clinico-epidemiological patterns of pediatric dermatoses.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> Consecutive 2581 children aged &gt;1 month to 12 years with 2661 dermatoses attending dermatology OPD in tertiary care hospital, Kakinada (May 2018 to June 2019) with clinical evidence of cutaneous disorder were studied. Complete history and cutaneous examination with necessary investigations are recorded.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Infestations disorder in 39.68% followed by eczematous disorder 19.80%, infection in 13.71%, pigmentary disorder in 8.34%, papulosquamous disorder in 5.82%, appendageal disorder in 2.93%, nutritional disorder in 2.21% and drug reactions including toxic epidermal necrolysis in 1.12%, child abuse and sexually transmitted diseases in 0.37% was the pattern in the present study. Rare cases including aplasia cutis, cutis laxa, ectodermal dysplasia, monilethrix and griscelli syndrome, epidermolysis bullosa, ichthyosis, palmoplantar keratoderma and congenital syphilis were also observed. The most common cutaneous dermatoses are infection and infestations followed by eczemas and nutritional disorders. Surprisingly STD and child abuse contributed significantly which cannot be neglected. Genodermatosis were notable in the study probably due to the high incidences of consanguineous marriage</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> The study reinforces features of tropical paediatric dermatology especially high prevalence of infections and infestations in school children (5-12 years) which highlights the need of proper counselling of caretaker regarding skin hygiene and establishment of specialized paediatric dermatology clinics.</p>