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Prevalence of skin lesions and need for treatment in a cohort of 90,880 workers.

Br J Dermatol. 2011 May 28;

Authors: Augustin M, Herberger K, Hintzen S, Heigel H, Franzke N, Schäfer I

Background:  Healthcare planning requires robust data on the prevalence and need for care of dermatological diseases. To date, no systematic data in population-based samples are available for Germany. Aim:  Determination of the prevalence of skin lesions and of the need for care based on dermatological exams in working adults in Germany. Methodology:  From 2004 to 2009, workers aged between 16 and 70 years from different branches of industry throughout Germany underwent a single dermatological whole-body status on the occasion of company screening for skin cancer. The data were recorded electronically and evaluated descriptively. In addition to the clinical findings, case-history data on previous skin diseases were documented and the need for further clarification or treatment was determined on the basis of the dermatologist's assessment. Results:  Data from n = 90,880 persons from a total of 312 companies were evaluated. Of the pigmented skin lesions, dermal naevi were found in 25.1% of the cohort, 16.7% of whom displayed more than 40 each. The most frequent inflammatory skin diseases were acne vulgaris (3.9%), psoriasis (2.0%), rosacea (2.3%) and atopic dermatitis (1.4%). Examination of the case histories showed that the most frequent condition was allergic sensitisation (41.1%); of these, pollen accounted for the biggest group (21.4%), followed by contact allergens (8.0%). Allergic rhinitis was the most frequent allergic disease (25.5%). In total, 26.8% of the cohort exhibited a dermatological finding in need of treatment or further clarification. Conclusion:  Dermatological lesions and diseases requiring clarification are frequent and indicate a high demand for treatment in the adult population.

PMID: 21623753 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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