Clinical and epidemiological characterization of the five most common skin diseases in the dermatologic practice

Abstract

Background: skin diseases frequently occur in children in developing countries and they represent 6 to 24% of pediatric consultation.

Objective: To characterize most frequent skin diseases in the pediatric dermatologic practice at the Northwestern Regional Hospital-Honduran Social Security Institute (IHSS-HRN) in the period between May and September 2015.

Patients and Methods: This is a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted in children from 0 months to 11 years who met the criteria for participation in the study of being diagnosed with the five most common skin diseases. Data was collected through a survey applied to the participating child or their guardian.

Results: Children were diagnosed with atopic Dermatitis 133 (40%), prurigo due to insect bites 58 (18%), molluscum contagiosum 56 (17%), urticaria 44 (13%) and impetigo 38 (12%). 329 patients lived in an urban setting. Except for an afro-descendant, all of them belong to a mixed ethnicity. The diagnosis was clinical method in 100% of cases.

Conclusions: Non-infectious inflammatory skin diseases are the cause of skin problems in children probably due to changes in eating habits, environmental exposure and genetic component.

Acta Pediátrica Hondureña, Vol. 6, No. 2 /octubre 2015 a marzo 2016: 473-478