Korean J Dermatol.
2020 Dec;58(10):674-680.
A Study of Clinical Characteristics in Korean Patients with Chronic Actinic Dermatitis
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 2Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- 3Department of Dermatology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
- 4Department of Dermatology, Ilsan Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, Goyang, Korea
- 5Department of Dermatology, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
- 6Department of Dermatology, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
Abstract
- Background
Chronic actinic dermatitis is a rare, acquired, persistent eczematous eruption of photo-distributed areas. There are limited data available on the clinical characteristics of Korean patients diagnosed with chronic actinic dermatitis.
Objective
To evaluate the clinical features and prognosis of chronic actinic dermatitis patients in Korea.
Methods
Sixty-two Korean patients diagnosed with chronic actinic dermatitis through clinical findings, phototesting, and skin biopsy from six hospitals were included in this study, and their clinical characteristics were evaluated.
Results
Among the 62 patients, 51 were men, and the mean age at diagnosis was 60.3±12.8 years. Phototesting was performed for 27 patients, with results available for 18 patients. Patch tests were performed for only 4.8% of the patients. Skin pathology tests were performed for 47 patients and showed the following: spongiosis, acanthosis, actinic elastosis, and pseudo-lymphomatous change. Twelve patients were clinically diagnosed without using diagnostic tools such as phototesting, patch testing, and skin biopsy. The most commonly used systemic treatments were antihistamine, cyclosporine, steroid, and azathioprine. Although avoiding ultraviolet irradiation and outdoor activities are critical, only 22.6% of patients used sunscreen.
Conclusion
Although phototesting is highly recommended for diagnosing chronic actinic dermatitis, phototesting was performed for less than half of the patients to diagnose chronic actinic dermatitis. Patch tests and photopatch tests are also recommended to disclose a causative agent.
