Tinea Versicolor; A Prospective Survey

Szepietowski, Jacek C; Baran, Eugeniusz; Wild, Ewa

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Tinea versicolor is regarded as one of the most common dermatoses. It constitutes about 3% of dermatological patients.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the frequency of tinea versicolor among patients with fungal skin infections. Special attention was paid to sex and age distribution, as well as to the associated cutaneous and systemic disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was based on 2665 questionnaires. The clinical diagnosis of tinea versicolor was confirmed by positive direct mycological examination in 10~20% potassium hydroxide solution with addition of dimethyl sulfoxide and by yellow-orange Wood's lamp fluorescence of the lesions.
RESULTS
AND CONCLUSIONS: Tinea versicolor was diagnosed in 325 patients (12.2% of all patients with different fungal skin and nail infections). Female patients constituted 52.3% and males 47.7%. The majority of patients were from the big towns (81.2%), only 4% of patients lived in the rural areas. 45.3% of patients finished secondary school, 23.4% had higher education. The age of patients varied from 10 to 79 years, mean age 36.1 +/- 15.3 years. Tinea versicolor was diagnosed in 45.0% of patients between the age of 16 and 35 years and it was uncommon in children (5.2%). The duration of the disease was 1 week to 23 years, mean 2.5+/-3.5 years. 49.5% of patients were previously treated with different regimens, Other cutaneous abnormalities were found in 20.6% of patients with tinea versicolor. Among them acne (4.9%), seborrheic dermatitis (3,1%) and onychomycosis (3.1%) were the most common ones. 14.5% of tinea versicolor patients suffered from systemic diseases, such as arterial hypertension (4%), thyroid abnormalities (3.1%), coronary insufficiency (2.5%) and diabetes melllitus (1.5%).