Impact of Palmoplantar Dermatoses on Quality of Life

BACKGROUND: Palmoplantar dermatoses are commonly found in dermatological practice. Quality of life (QOL) is severely impaired if these areas are affected. Early and appropriate management of palmoplantar dermatoses help in improving patient's QOL. AIM: To assess the impact of palmoplantar dermatoses on QOL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with palmoplantar dermatoses with or without other body part involvement were enrolled in the study. QOL was assessed by Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire for >16 years of age and by Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) questionnaire for 5–16 years of age. RESULTS: Two hundred and two patients participated, of which 108 (53.46%) were males and 94 (46.53%) were females. The commonest age group affected was 17–40 years (42.57%). Housewives 61 (30.2%) and laborers 53 (26.2%) were most common occupational group affected. The mean DLQI and CDLQI scores were 7.68 and 7.46, respectively. Fifty-seven (28.21%) patients had palmoplantar psoriasis (PPP), 35 (17.32%) had palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK), and 26 (12.87%) had hand eczema (HE) with mean DLQI scores 8.60, 8.53, 8.60, and CDLQI scores 8.40, 8.28, and 8.26, respectively. In both DLQI and CDLQI, questions on symptoms and feelings scored maximum. Gender, age, occupation, duration, progress, and type of dermatosis did not show statistically significant association with DLQI. However, chronic recalcitrant dermatoses such as PPP, PPK, and HE showed significant impairment in QOL in relation to occupation and duration of disease. LIMITATION: Severity of various palmoplantar dermatoses was not graded and therefore relation between severity of various dermatoses and QOL was not established. CONCLUSION: Majority of patients with palmoplantar dermatoses especially those having chronic course had significant impairment in their QOL.