Stress is Associated with Eczema on the Dorsa of the Hands in Atopic Dermatitis: A Study of the Psychosocial Aspects of Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Stress seems to be related to the exacerbation of atopic dermatitis (AD); however only a few papers have examined flares in specific anatomical areas in relation to stress to date. We conducted an epidemiological survey of lesions on the dorsa of the hands in 102 patients with AD for over a one-year period. The relationship between AD and stress was then analyzed. The patients’ ages ranged from 15 to 47 years with an average of 28.5 years and a male/female ratio of 1.5. In the year from 1999 to 2000, dermatitis on the dorsa of the hands appeared in 78 (76.5%) patients, and 74 (94.9%) patients noticed itching in that area at the same time. Sixty (59.0%) patients showed no clinical difference of severity between the two hands. Stress, as reported by 51.3% of patients, seemed to exacerbate the dermatitis on the dorsa of the hands more than irritation factors (35.9%) did. With stress, 75 (73.5%) of the patients complained of itching on various parts of the body ; the dorsa of the hands (24.5%) were the most common sites, and the secondary site was the face (20.6%). We concluded that stress seemed to be the most significant factor for exacerbation of AD on the dorsa of the hands in AD.