Italian Expert Opinion on Chronic Hand Eczema: from Guidelines to Clinical Practice

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Inflammatory skin diseases
• Quality of Life research

Background:

• Chronic hand eczema (CHE) presents diverse challenges in management due to limited approved therapies.
• Severe CHE significantly impacts patients' quality of life (QoL), affecting psychological, functional, and occupational well-being.
• Current treatment strategies often face difficulties owing to the condition's complex nature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document Italian dermatologists' real-world practices in managing CHE.
• To compare these practices against established clinical guidelines.
• To develop practical recommendations for optimizing CHE patient care.

Main Methods:

• An 11-question survey was distributed to 14 Italian dermatologists specializing in CHE.
• A literature review spanning the last decade informed expert discussions.
• Expert insights were gathered on diagnosis, treatment, and management protocols for CHE.

Main Results:

• CHE accounts for 6.9% of consultations among participating experts.
• Fissuring and itching are the predominant symptoms (85.7% each), with a median diagnosis time of 12 months.
• Experts stressed the need for long-term, effective, well-tolerated treatments and enhanced disease awareness.

Conclusions:

• Effective CHE management necessitates a holistic approach integrating clinical findings with patient expectations.
• There is a consensus on the need for improved disease awareness and physician-patient communication.
• Development of specialized CHE treatment strategies is advocated to improve QoL and achieve long-term control.