Age, Sex, and Anatomical Location Patterns in Cutaneous Pyogenic Granuloma Cases

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pathology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Cutaneous pyogenic granulomas (PGs) are common benign vascular tumors.
• Previous studies on PG epidemiology are limited by small sample sizes and age-group restrictions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a large dataset of pathologically diagnosed PGs across all ages.
• To investigate demographic patterns of PGs, focusing on age, sex, and anatomical location.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series of pathologically confirmed cutaneous PGs (April 2010-March 2020).
• Data analyzed from a large tertiary academic center's pathology database.
• Exclusion criteria included non-cutaneous origin, recurrence, or PG as a differential diagnosis.

Main Results:

• 1009 PG cases from 987 individuals were analyzed.
• Significant age-by-sex distribution differences were observed, particularly for head/neck and trunk PGs.
• Females were more frequently affected by PGs on lower extremities.

Conclusions:

• An age-by-sex interaction influences PG incidence, with distinct patterns for head/neck and trunk locations.
• Findings challenge the primary role of trauma in PG etiology.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the causes of observed age-by-sex interactions.