Seborrhoeic dermatitis in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Seborrhoeic dermatitis [SD] is a common chronic form of eczema that affects all age groups. The exact pathogenic mechanism is uncertain, but the lipophilic yeast pityrosporum ovale is believed to play a role. The data on SD from the Middle East are sparse. This study was undertaken to fill this gap in our knowledge. A three year retrospective and a four month prospective studies were carried out to assess demographic, and clinical features of SD, precipitating factors and associated diseases. Setting: King Fahad Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Incidence of SD was 5.9% of all new dermatological referrals. It was age related, 30% in infants, 7% in children, and 63% in adults, no sex predilection, and was seen mostly in winter. Most commonly affected sites were the scalp and face and the predominant clinical lesions were the dry loose scaly and erythematous types. Important associated conditions included acne vulgaris, diffuse hair fall, diabetes mellitus and obesity. Ambient temperature changes were more important contributing factors to SD than sun exposure. SD is not uncommon in Saudi Arabia, especially in winter. It occurs more frequently in adults than infants in whom distribution is different. This suggests different pathogenetic mechanism. Ambient temperature changes affect SD and probably not the solar radiation in our desert environment. Further studies are needed to elucidate the aetiology