Patterns of infant dermatoses: An observational study from the dermatology outpatient clinic of a tertiary referral center

Abstract

Objectives: To study the pattern of dermatoses among infants who attended the dermatology outpatient clinic of a tertiary referral center. Materials and Methods: We included 270 consecutive infants (children aged 1 year and below) with dermatoses who attended the outpatient clinic of the department of dermatology of our tertiary referral center. Using a preset proforma, we collected information on patient profile, evolution of dermatosis, and clinical features. The dermatoses observed were classified as transient and non-infective conditions, nevi and other developmental defects, genodermatoses, infections and infestations, inflammatory dermatoses, reactive dermatoses, and other miscellaneous conditions. Results: The study participants included 162 males (60%) and 108 females (40%). Fifty-three infants (53/270, 19.6%) were neonates. The most common dermatoses observed among the study participants were infections and infestations (86, 31.9%) followed by inflammatory dermatoses (83, 30.7%). Among the neonates, the common dermatoses observed were napkin dermatitis (14/53, 26.4%), transient neonatal pustular melanosis (6/53, 11.3%), and congenital melanocytic nevus (6/53, 11.3%). The common dermatoses observed among infants above 28 days were fungal infections (32/217, 14.7%), atopic dermatitis (23/217, 10.6%), miliaria (22/217, 10.1%) and infantile seborrheic dermatitis (21/217, 9.7%). Limitations: The study carried out in the outpatient clinic of the dermatology department of a tertiary referral center and the cross-sectional design were the major limitations. Conclusion: Fungal infection was the most frequently observed infection. Whether, this indicates an epidemiological shift in the prevalence of dermatophytosis in pediatric age group needs analysis in future multicenter studies. Napkin dermatitis and atopic dermatitis were the most common non-infective dermatoses in the neonatal and post-neonatal age groups, respectively.