Evaluating the Outcomes of Hand Eczema Complications Through A Cross-Sectional Study of 77 Patients in Iraq

Background: Hand eczema has a deleterious effect on the daily life of the Iraqi patient, resulting in an increased incidence of complications over time, where this ultimately leads to a reduction in the quality of life of the patient in the long term. Aim: The objective of our study is to evaluate the outcomes associated with complications in a cohort of 77 Iraqi patients with hand eczema. Patients and methods: The current study, conducted between April 2023 and August 2024, collected clinical and demographic data from patients admitted to different hospitals in Iraq. The data set comprised 77 cases, with patients aged between 20 and 60 years, including both males and females. In order to achieve the study objective, the clinical outcomes of the patients were identified and evaluated. Consequently, the study addressed the identification of clinical complications affecting patients with hand eczema. Additionally, the prevalence and severity of hand eczema were determined using the HECSI scale. Furthermore, the quality of life of the patients was evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire. Results: This study examined the clinical outcomes of patients aged between 51 and 60 years, who constituted the largest age group (28 cases, 41.56% of the total). Of the patients, 41.56% were male and 58.44% were female. The most common indicators were itching and pain, occurring in 87.01% and 58.44% of patients, respectively. The overall complication rate was 61.04% among the total patient population. The most prevalent symptoms, emotional states, and daily activities that negatively impacted the quality of life were identified as the most significant contributors to this outcome, particularly in patients with severe hand eczema. Conclusion: The findings of our study indicate that hand eczema is associated with a high prevalence of complications in patients, including skin infection, scarring, and impaired hand function. These complications have been shown to negatively impact the quality of life of affected individuals