TY - JOUR
TI - Skin diseases in Greek and immigrant children in Athens
AU - Katsarou, Alexandra
AU - Armenaka, Melina
AU - Kosmadaki, Maria and
AU - Lagogianni, Eirini
AU - Vosynioti, Vasiliki
AU - Tagka, Anna and
AU - Stefanaki, Christina
AU - Katsambas, Andreas
JO - International Journal of Dermatology
PY - 2012
VL - 51
TODO - 2
SP - 173-177
PB - Wiley
SN - 0011-9059, 1365-4632
TODO - 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.04948.x
TODO - null
TODO - Objectives This study aimed to characterize the spectrum of skin
diseases affecting children in Greece.
Methods We retrospectively studied data for 4071 children, aged 0-12
years, who were examined and diagnosed with dermatoses at the outpatient
clinic of a university dermatological hospital between December 2005 and
August 2007. To evaluate changes in disease patterns, these data were
compared with data for a cohort of 12,700 children diagnosed with skin
diseases at the same clinic two to three decades earlier (in 1977, 1980,
and 1983).
Results The most frequent disease was dermatitis/eczema (34.7%), with
atopic dermatitis found in 20.7% of children, contact dermatitis in
6.9%, pityriasis alba in 2.1%, and seborrheic dermatitis in 1.8%.
Infections (19.3%), nevi (5.6%), scabies (4.8%), and insect bites
(4.3%) followed. More viral (12%) than bacterial (3.7%) and fungal
(3.6%) infections were noted. Warts constituted 53.2% of viral
infections. Immigrants had an increased risk for bacterial infections
and scabies.
Conclusions Children diagnosed with skin diseases 24-30 years earlier
were younger; exhibited lower prevalences of dermatitis/eczema (P =
0.01), viral infections (P < 0.001) and nevi (P < 0.001); higher
prevalences of bacterial and fungal infections (P < 0.001) and insect
bites (P < 0.01); and similar rates of scabies (P = 0.17). This study
documents the high prevalence of atopic dermatitis in the region, the
increasing incidence of viral infections and nevi, and the continuing
problem of scabies, especially in immigrants.
ER -