Clinical and demographic patterns of vulval dermatoses and their impact on quality of life

Abstract

Background: Vulval dermatoses may present with varied manifestations ranging from asymptomatic to chronic disabling conditions. The multifactorial nature of symptoms and physical expression of the disease on the vulva complicate the evaluation and management of genital dermatoses, thereby severely impairing the quality of life of patients. Objectives: To study the clinical patterns and socio-demographic features of vulval dermatoses and their impact on the quality of life using the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) questionnaire. Materials and Methods: Female patients of all age groups who attended our outpatient department (OPD) from October 2019 to March 2021 with vulval lesions were included in the study after a detailed history and complete examination. Based on sites of involvement, the lesions were classified as genital lesions alone, genital and skin lesions, oro-genital lesions, and oro-genital and skin lesions. DLQI score was assessed using the DLQI questionnaire. Results: In total, 520 patients were recruited for the study after following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The most common age group was 31–40 years (33.65%). The majority of the patients were married (91.92%), housewives (82.88%), and illiterate (49.61%) women. The most common presenting symptom was itching (43%). The most common vulval dermatoses were infections, seen in 401 (77.11%) patients, followed by inflammatory diseases in 78 (15%) patients, and immunobullous diseases (1.53%). Patients with genital, skin, and oral involvement showed statistically significant higher DLQI scores ( P value < 0.05). Patients with immunobullous disorders had the highest mean DLQI scores. Limitations: As this study was a hospital-based study, the observations may not represent and reflect the general population. Conclusion: Patients with genital, skin, and oral lesions had the highest DLQI scores, indicating higher impact on the quality of life. Assessment of the disease’s impact on the quality of life is essential because it not only aids in early management but also helps in minimizing the duration of the ailment.

Basic Characteristics and Demographic Data in Patients with Chronic Vulvar Discomfort: A Detailed Analysis of DATRIV Study

“…The observed differences in age between patients with vulvar dermatosis and the comparison groups reached statistical significance at a shallow p-value level of p < 0.0000. That contrasts with previous data, which showed that the most common age of patients with vulvar dermatosis was 31-40 years [31]. However, this corresponds to other authors who described an average data set between ages 45 and 65 [21].…”

“…The study uncovers a difference in marital status and the number of births among the groups, with patients with vulvar dermatosis more likely to be married and have a higher number of births compared to other groups. That aligns with findings from different studies, which also observed that most of their patients with vulvar dermatosis were married and housewives [31].…”

“…However, it's important to note that findings regarding the relationship between education and vulvar dermatosis vary across different studies. Some studies have reported that a majority of patients with vulvar dermatosis were illiterate [31], while others have found that care seekers with chronic vulvar pain were more likely to have a university education [32]. Conversely, certain studies have failed to identify any significant differences in educational levels concerning vulvar pain [34][35].…”

“…In the case of vulvar dermatosis, most of the patients were reported to be married (91.92%), housewives (82.88%), and illiterate (49.61%) women [31]. These findings provide some preliminary insights into the demographic characteristics of individuals with chronic vulvar dermatosis, but further research is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between chronic vulvar discomfort and marital status, as well as the influence on births and abortions.…”

Evaluation of Dermatology Life Quality Index, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scores of Patients with Genital Dermatoses

“…and Kaur et al . [ 3 8 15 16 17 18 ] The mean age ranged from 37 to 38 years in their studies. Fungal infections, lichen simplex chronicus, lichen sclerosus et atrophicus and vitiligo were the most prevalent nonvenereal genital dermatoses in females.…”