Multicentre cohort study 'Rehabilitation of Occupational Skin Diseases - Optimization and Quality Assurance of Inpatient Management (ROQ)': results from a 3-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: A tertiary individual prevention programme (TIP) is offered to patients with severe occupational skin disease (OSD) in Germany. Previously, it was shown that the burden of OSDs is considerably reduced in patients up to 1 year after the TIP. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term effects of the TIP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a prospective multicentre cohort study, the clinical and patient-reported outcome data 3 years after the TIP were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 1788 patients initially included in the study, 1410 were available for the 3-year follow-up analysis. The severity of OSD, the use of topical corticosteroids and days of absence from work were significantly reduced 3 years after the TIP, and the quality of life and skin protective behaviour were significantly improved. Of the patients, 96.9% were able to resume work. One thousand one hundred and sixty-six patients (82.7%) were still working 3 years after the TIP, 874 of them (75.0%) in the same occupational field. Hairdressers had the lowest rate of remaining in their original profession (41.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The follow-up during 3 years of this unique cohort of patients with OSDs shows that the TIP is associated with sustained improvements in terms of disease severity, ability to work, quality of life, and prognosis.

Systemic sclerosis: rehabilitation as a tool to cope with disability.

In patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), local disability of the hands and face, due to the involvement of skin, subcutaneous tissues and musculoskeletal system, is scarcely improved by pharmacological therapy, but may be treated efficaciously with rehabilitation, which can prevent and reduce local disability, thus ameliorating global disability and impaired Quality of Life, related to changes in the hands and face. In SSc, in order to be efficacious, rehabilitation should: 1. include and use both local treatments of hands and face and global rehabilitation techniques; 2. be different according to the different SSc phases and subsets; 3. include different techniques to tailor treatment to the personal needs and abilities of the patients.

Assessing health-related quality of life in hand eczema patients: how to overcome psychometric faults when using the dermatology life quality index.

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has become an important patient reported outcome in health service research. The dermatology life quality index (DLQI) is the most commonly used instrument in dermatology. In recent years, the psychometric properties of the DLQI have been a subject of debate as requirements of modern test theory seem not to be fulfilled. The aim of this study was to test whether those violations also occur in patients with hand eczema. We collected data of 602 hand eczema patients who participated in an inpatient dermatology rehabilitation program in Germany. In order to report meaningful scores of the DLQI, data were analysed according to the principles of modern test theory. We calibrated the DLQI using the Rasch model, resulting in a 6 item version with a range between 0-15 points. This version showed no significant misfit to the Rasch model (p>0.14). By using a Rasch analysis the results were evaluated in a second sample of hand eczema patients (n=511). Even if all demographic characteristic of this sample were different, we were able to replicate the results found in this study (p>0.21). In conclusion, we recommend to use an alternative scoring procedure as presented in this article if the DLQI is used in hand eczema patients.

[Hand eczema and occupational disorders]. / Eczéma des mains et maladie professionnelle.

Hand eczema (HE) is a frequent skin disease, combining endogenous and exogenous factors. Occupational -or work-related- hand eczema (OHE) is frequently a chronic and relapsing disease, due to irritant and allergenic contacts. Burden of disease is important, since OHE strikes quality of life of the patient, has significant social and economic impact, and may jeopardize his professional future. The management of OHE combines etiological assessment, efficient symptomatic treatment and adaptation of working conditions.

Impact of digital ulcers on disability and health-related quality of life in systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of digital ulcers (DUs) on disability and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Two hundred and thirteen patients with SSc were evaluated at four annual meetings of a patient society between 2004 and 2007 (n = 177) or during hospital stay (n = 36). HRQoL was assessed by the SF-36, global disability by the health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), hand disability by the Cochin Hand Function Scale (CHFS) and global hand and wrist mobility by the Kapandji index. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients (31.4%) had at least one DU at the time of evaluation. Patients with DUs showed significantly more pitting scars (p<0.001) and calcinosis (p<0.0001) than others. Patients with DU had significantly greater HAQ (mean (SD) 1.218 (0.723) vs 0.930 (0.717), p = 0.008), CHFS (mean (SD) 27.38 (20.68) vs 16.73 (18.19), p<0.0001) and aesthetic prejudice (mean (SD) 6.1 (2.2) vs 3.9 (2.5), p<0.0001) scores than others. Hand and wrist mobility were significantly diminished in patients with DU (mean (SD) Kapandji score 75.3 (22.8) vs 81.7 (19.2), p<0.0001). The presence of a DU did not significantly alter the physical component but influenced the mental component (mean (SD) 43.38 (12.53) vs 39.58 (9.54), p = 0.026) of the SF36. CONCLUSION: Patients with SSc with DUs have reduced wrist and hand mobility, increased global and hand disabilities and decreased mental component of HRQoL.

Fifteen-year follow-up of hand eczema: persistence and consequences.

BACKGROUND: Hand eczema is a skin disease often with a long-lasting and relapsing course. The long-term prognosis in the general population is unknown. OBJECTIVES: The aims were to examine the extent to which hand eczema had persisted and the medicosocial consequences of the disease. METHODS: In a 15-year follow-up of hand eczema, patients diagnosed in a previous population-based study were sent a questionnaire with 20 questions concerning the persistence and course of the disease, and its occupational and medicosocial consequences. RESULTS: Addresses were available for 1115 persons, of whom 868 answered the questionnaire. Sixty-six per cent of the respondents reported periods of hand eczema and 44% reported symptoms during the previous year, with no sex difference. Twelve per cent reported continuous eczema. However, 74% of those reporting symptoms considered that their hand eczema had improved; of these more were women than men (78% vs. 66%, P < 0.01). Twenty people, 3% of those who were gainfully employed in 1983, reported a change to another occupation because of their hand eczema, 15 of these reporting improvement after the job change. A considerable need for medical consultation was reported, as was the influence on psychosocial functions among those who had eczema the previous year, e.g. sleep disturbances (36%) and hampered leisure activities (72%). Job changes related to hand eczema and psychosocial impairment were also reported by individuals who had not sought medical help for their hand eczema. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a variable and poor long-term prognosis for hand eczema in the general population. One-third sought medical care during follow-up, while the vast majority with ongoing hand eczema experienced negative psychosocial consequences. For about 5%, the hand eczema gave far-reaching consequences including long sick-leave periods, sick pension and changes of occupation.

Relation between diagnoses on severity, sick leave and loss of job among patients with occupational hand eczema.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies indicate that occupational hand eczema (OHE) often is associated with persistent dermatitis and prolonged sick leave, which may lead to unemployment. Previous studies suggest that OHE caused by allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis (AD) carries the worst prognosis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and compare the severity and consequences of recognized OHE in different diagnostic and subdiagnostic groups. METHODS: Between October 2001 and November 2002, all new cases of recognized OHE were identified from the Danish National Board of Industrial Injuries Registry (758 cases). Severity was graded from 0 to 2 depending on the intensity of skin response and the frequency of relapse. To supplement the information from the Registry, we surveyed the study population using a postal questionnaire which included questions about disease duration, sick leave, current occupation and loss of job. RESULTS: The overall response rate to the questionnaire was 82%. We observed substantially greater severity among those with occupational irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) and AD than for any other diagnoses. Age above 50 years was also associated with increased severity of OHE. Prolonged sick leave due to OHE was reported by 19.9% and was associated with AD and severe OHE. We found a higher proportion of prolonged sick leave among those in food-related occupations (27.2%) compared with those in wet occupations (20.1%) and other occupations (16.5%). Twenty-three per cent reported that they had lost their job at least once during the past 12 months due to OHE. The only strong association with loss of job was food-related occupations. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational ICD and AD appear to be strongly associated with severity of OHE. AD and severity of OHE were independently associated with prolonged sick leave. Having a food-related occupation appears to be associated with increased risk of loss of job.

[Quality of life of patients with occupationally-induced hand eczema]. / Lebensqualität bei Patienten mit berufsbedingten Handekzemen.

In recent years quality of life has been studied in a growing number of different dermatological diseases. Internationally validated questionnaires such the RAND-36 (identical to the SF-36) do not contain enough questions which are relevant for skin diseases. There is no publication on quality of life issues in occupational skin diseases, and only one short report gives data on quality of life in hand eczema. The widely used skin specific instrument DLQI has only 2 questions that indirectly refer to employment issues. A quality of life questionnaire on occupational skin diseases (mostly hand eczema) should ideally include questions on work-related impairment of both physical functioning and interaction with colleagues.

[Pilot study on hairdresser eczema]. / Pilotstudie über Friseurekzeme.

From 1990 to 1992 the allergy profile of 1042 prospective hairdressers (personal and family history, atopic skin, serum IgE, patch and prick tests) was determined and their occupational suitability was evaluated. Up to 1997 a follow up of 375 hairdressers was obtained by way of questionnaires, re-examination, official reports and expert opinions of the social accident insurance. The frequency of initial eczema was 30%. A change of occupation on account of hairdresser eczema was documented in 11%. The prognostic evaluation of occupational suitability proved to be unsatisfactory. In this longitudinal study, the frequency of pre-occupational skin symptoms increased from 13 to 18%. The other atopic criteria indicated no uniform tendency. There was a significant increase in nickel allergy from 18.7 to 45.5% resulting partly from sensitization after entering the occupation and partly from an increase in nickel allergy at time of entry. Both atopic skin and pre-occupational nickel allergy increase the risk of hairdresser eczema, it is not so great as to justify dissuading such young people from entering the profession.

Rehabilitation of the infected hand.

While each case of hand infection is unique, the mechanics of infection tend to be the same. We have found that in a variety of infection types, ranging from localized finger tip infections to septic joint infections with underlying systemic medical complications, the best results occurred when each infected hand was treated in a consistent manner that included aggressive medical treatment, immediate mobilization, and direct patient involvement. Effective communication between the surgeon, therapist, and patient allows the critical flow of information necessary to maintain the progression of successful treatment to resolve the infected hand.

Rehabilitation in hand eczema.

The difference between medical and social prognosis in hand eczema is stressed. Rehabilitation may be a fashionable word, but a change of job may result in a lower social standing and the eczema may persist. Job change should never be considered unless extensive patch testing has been performed. The decision also depends on age, nature of allergen, actual trade and occupation, a personal history of atopy and some personal factors. Some guidelines are given.

[Occupational rehabilitation of patients with hand eczema (author's transl)]. / Berufliche Rehabilitation von Patienten mit Handekzemen.

Occupational rehabilitation of eczema patients depends almost as much upon psycho-social as medical factors. Age, duration of previous disability, social program support, motivation and intellectual ability of patients, other organic diseases and type of eczema are the most important factors in rehabilitation success. Principles, methods and results of a dermatological rehabilitation program established at the Erlangen Dermatological Clinic since 1974 are briefly reviewed. This "Erlanger Rehabilitationsprogramm" takes into account, besides dermatological aspects, as well as ergotherapeutic, psycho-social, communicative and economical factors. In consequence, several propositions for the rehabilitation of patients occupationally handicapped by chronic hand eczemas are made.