Systemic diseases with cutaneous manifestations and quality of life of individuals with dark skin: a series of 30 cases in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

Context and objective. The repercussions of systemic diseases with cutaneous manifestations on the quality of life of patients in sub-Saharan Africa are very little studied. The present study assessed the impact of systemic diseases on the quality of life of dark-skinned patients. Methods. This was a prospective study of case series conducted at the Department of Dermatology, Treichville University Hospital in October 2019. The impact on patients' quality of life was assessed by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Results. Thirty patients were included in the study, with a female predominance (87%) and a mean age of 43.8 ± 14.3 years. Systemic lupus (47%) and systemic scleroderma (40%) were predominant. Daily activities (22%), treatments used/sun exposure (20%), and studies/work activities (18%) were most affected. According to the DLQI, the effect on patients' quality of life was significant (70%). Conclusion. The present study identifies a significant effect of systemic diseases with cutaneous manifestations on patients' quality of life using the DLQI score. Received: February 9th, 2024 Accepted: October 13th, 2024 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v18i1.7