Chronic Hand Eczema Studies Show Condition is Common, Burdensome
LEO Pharma presented data from 2 of the largest multinational real-world studies on the prevalence, severity and treatment of chronic hand eczema at the European Society of Contact Dermatitis congress.
Results from 2 of the largest multinational real-world studies on the prevalence, severity and treatment of chronic hand eczema that have ever been conducted were recently presented at the European Society of Contact Dermatitis congress, LEO Pharma announced in a release.1
Chronic Hand Eczema Studies Show Condition is Common, Burdensome / IIIRusya - stock.adobe.com
The 2 studies presented at the conference were: CHECK (Chronic Hand Eczema epidemiology, Care, and Knowledge of real-life burden) and RWEAL (Real-World trEatment & mAnagement of chronic hand eczema in cLinical practice). LEO presented 8 posters in total that included data from the studies, which formed part of an expansive scientific program from the pharmaceutical company.
READ MORE: Chronic Hand Eczema Treatment Shows Positive Results in Phase 3 Trials
“It is a privilege to present the results from the largest real-world studies LEO Pharma has ever completed,” Kreesten Meldgaard Madsen, chief development officer at LEO, said in a release.1 “Our findings from the CHECK study are supported by the physician-reported outcomes of the RWEAL study and for the first time at this scale, the data from both studies can show the needs among people living with this debilitating disease, and the immense impact it can have on quality of life.”
CHECK was a large multinational, prevalence study of chronic hand eczema that included 60131 adult participants from the general population in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Canada, and the UK. Findings from the study showed that 5.6% of the participants reported being impacted by chronic hand eczema over the last 12 months, with 4.7% saying they were diagnosed by a physician.
The study also showed that the burden chronic hand eczema has on patients can impact their occupation, leisure time, and overall daily life. Of 2330 participants who reported having the condition, 1 in 5 attribute their chronic hand eczema to their occupation and nearly 1 in 3 attribute it to their household and leisure activities. Although most of the participants were receiving treatment, their symptoms persisted.
RWEAL was a medical chart review of 1939 patients that examined the self-reported treatment patterns of 292 physicians in Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. The study found that 90% of chronic hand eczema patients were treated with either medium, high or ultra-high potency topical corticosteroids. Additionally, 27.4% of patients progressed to phototherapy or systemic therapy, oral immunosuppressants, and biologics.
“The heavy burden of chronic hand eczema is well understood but prevalence has been historically understudied in the general population,” said Sonja Molin, chair of the Division of Dermatology at Queen’s University and lead author on the CHECK study, in a release.1 “Large-scale, multinational studies like CHECK provide powerful insights to help us better understand this debilitating disease.”
Chronic hand eczema is an inflammatory skin condition that is not life-threatening. However, the condition can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life and there is currently no definitive treatment. Because it is a common occupational disease, it poses a significant economic burden, including costs for prescriptions, medications, laboratory exams, and productivity losses.2
READ MORE: Dermatology Resource Center
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References
1. LEO Pharma Presents Data from the Largest-Ever Multinational Real-World Studies of Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE) in Adults at the ESCD 2024 Congress. News Release. LEO Pharma. September 5, 2024. Accessed September 9, 2024. https://www.leo-pharma.com/media-center/news/2024-leo-pharma-presents-data-from-the-largest-ever-multinational-real-world-studies
2. Tancredi V, Buononato D, Caccavale S, Di Brizzi EV, Di Caprio R, Argenziano G, Balato A. New Perspectives in the Management of Chronic Hand Eczema: Lessons from Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Dec 27;25(1):362. doi: 10.3390/ijms25010362. PMID: 38203533; PMCID: PMC10778876.
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