Patterns of chronic hand eczema: a semantic map analysis of the CARPE registry data

Background Hand eczema has a high incidence and prevalence and has a negative impact on both physical and psychological well-being, with the risk of persistence as a chronic condition. Epidemiological studies on hand eczema provided mainly descriptive and risk analyses, but pattern analyses of varia...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cazzaniga, Simone (Author) , Diepgen, Thomas L. (Author) , Ofenloch, Robert (Author) , Weisshaar, Elke (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: [January 2018]
In: British journal of dermatology
Year: 2017, Volume: 178, Issue: 1, Pages: 229-237
ISSN:1365-2133
DOI:10.1111/bjd.15660
Online Access:Verlag, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.15660
Verlag, Volltext: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjd.15660
Get full text
Author Notes:S. Cazzaniga, C. Apfelbacher, T. Diepgen, R.F. Ofenloch, E. Weisshaar, S. Molin, A. Bauer, V. Mahler, P. Elsner, J. Schmitt, B.K. Ballmer‐Weber, P. Spring, L. Naldi, L. Borradori, and D. Simon for the CARPE Study Groups of Germany and Switzerland
Description
Summary:Background Hand eczema has a high incidence and prevalence and has a negative impact on both physical and psychological well-being, with the risk of persistence as a chronic condition. Epidemiological studies on hand eczema provided mainly descriptive and risk analyses, but pattern analyses of variables associated with hand eczema, in particular chronic hand eczema, have not been explored to date. Objectives To investigate and display the semantics of associations between variables of hand eczema obtained from the Swiss and German registries of chronic hand eczema (CARPE) to dissect patterns and novel links. Methods This was a cross-sectional study on selected variables from the CARPE registries. Associations between variables were analysed by means of an autoassociative system. A semantic connectivity map was generated by using a maximum spanning tree algorithm. Results Baseline datasets of 1466 patients with chronic hand eczema (Switzerland: 199; Germany: 1267) were analysed. Occupational exposure had the highest impact in the total and country cohorts. We identified two areas of exposure linked to corresponding occupations that clearly demarcated the sexes. Conclusions This study, using semantic connectivity as a novel method of data analysis, reveals the complexity of features characterizing chronic hand eczema as well as novel association patterns that deserve further investigation.
Item Description:First published: 12 May 2017
Gesehen am 02.04.2019
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1365-2133
DOI:10.1111/bjd.15660