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Prevalence of skin diseases in hospitalized geriatric patients

Association with gender, duration of hospitalization and geriatric assessment

Prävalenz von Hautkrankheiten bei hospitalisierten geriatrischen Patienten

Assoziation mit Geschlecht, Hospitalisationsdauer und geriatrischem Assessment

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Abstract

Background

Improvement of quality of life in old age and prevention of age-associated diseases have become the main focus of research into aging; however, information regarding the skin health status of geriatric patients still remains sparse.

Goal

To investigate the extent of dermatological diseases in hospitalized geriatric patients, map the most prevalent ones, check for any gender differences and document any correlations with duration of hospitalization and results of geriatric assessments.

Patients and methods

A total of 110 hospitalized geriatric patients underwent a complete dermatological examination at the Evangelical Geriatric Hospital (Evangelisches Geriatriezentrum) Berlin. The collected information was stratified according to dermatological diagnosis, results of geriatric assessments, duration of hospitalization, age and gender of the patients.

Results

The average number of diagnosed skin diseases per patient was 3.7 ± 1.8 for the female population and 4.3 ± 2.0 for the male population. After categorizing all diagnosed skin diseases, infectious diseases were found to be most common in both female and male patients (55 % and 58 %, respectively) followed by vascular diseases (46.7 % and 54 %, respectively). Precancerous skin lesions and epithelial skin cancer were more frequent in men than in women (20 % vs. 6.7 %, p < 0.037 and 34 % vs. 13.3 %, p < 0.010, respectively). Pruritus showed a positive correlation with the duration of hospitalization and a negative correlation with the Barthel index and Tinetti score on the day of discharge, indicating that pruritus may have a significant impact on the physical condition of elderly multimorbid patients and on the static and dynamic balance abilities.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that skin health in the elderly is compromised and disregarded and this should constitute one of the top priorities of healthcare specialists and physicians in the future.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund

Die Verbesserung der Lebensqualität im hohen Alter und die Prävention altersbedingter Krankheiten haben in den letzten Jahren an Bedeutung gewonnen. Trotzdem liegen bisher wenige Daten zu dermatologischen Erkrankungen bei geriatrischen Patienten vor.

Ziel

Das Ziel unserer Studie lag darin die Prävalenz von altersassoziierten Hauterkrankungen bei hospitalisierten geriatrischen Patienten zu dokumentieren und jegliche Korrelationen mit der Verweildauer sowie mit Ergebnissen von geriatrischen Assessments zu analysieren.

Methodik

Insgesamt 110 hospitalisierte geriatrische Patienten unterzogen sich einer klinisch-dermatologischen Untersuchung im Evangelischen Geriatriezentrum Berlin. Die gewonnenen Informationen wurden anhand von dermatologischen Diagnosen, Ergebnissen der geriatrischen Assessments, Verweildauer, Alter und Geschlecht des Patienten dokumentiert.

Ergebnisse

Die Anzahl der diagnostizierten Hauterkrankungen pro Patienten betrug für die weibliche Population 3,7 ± 1,8 und für die männliche 4,3 ± 2,0. Von allen diagnostizierten Hauterkrankungen zeigten die Infektionskrankheiten sowohl bei Frauen als auch bei Männern die höchste Prävalenz (55 vs. 58 %), gefolgt von Gefäßerkrankungen (46,7 vs. 54 %). Präkanzerosen und epithelialer Hautkrebs traten häufiger bei Männern als bei Frauen auf (20 vs. 6,7 %, p < 0,037 und 34 vs. 13,3 %, p < 0,010). Pruritus korrelierte positiv mit der Dauer des Krankenhausaufenthalts und negativ mit dem Barthel-Index und Tinetti-Score. Dies könnte darauf hinweisen, dass Pruritus erhebliche Auswirkungen auf die alltäglichen Fähigkeiten sowie die Mobilität von geriatrischen Patienten haben kann.

Schlussfolgerung

Unsere Ergebnisse demonstrieren, dass der Gesundheitszustand der Haut bei älteren Menschen trotz vielfältiger Beeinträchtigungen ungenügend beachtet wird. Der Beurteilung und Beobachtung des Hautzustands sollte daher insbesondere bei Männern mehr Priorität eingeräumt werden.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the health personnel of the Evangelisches Geriatriezentrum Berlin for their support and understanding and to all patients and their relatives for contributing to our study. EM is grateful for being a recipient of the Hertha-Nathorff Programme provided by the Medical Faculty of the University Ulm. The authors would like to thank Mr. David Benson and Dr. Borris Meyer-Kühling for careful reading of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University Ulm, Life Science Building N27, James-Franck Ring/Meyerhofstrasse 11c, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    E. Makrantonaki

  2. Research Group on Geriatrics, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Reinickendorferstr. 61, 13347, Berlin, Germany

    E. Makrantonaki, E. Steinhagen-Thiessen & R. Eckardt

  3. Departments of Dermatology, Venereology, Allergology and Immunology, Dessau Medical Center, Auenweg 38, 06847, Dessau, Germany

    E. Makrantonaki & C. C. Zouboulis

  4. Evangelisches Geriatriezentrum Berlin, Reinickendorfer Str. 61, 13347, Berlin, Germany

    E. Steinhagen-Thiessen, R. Nieczaj & R. Eckardt

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  1. E. Makrantonaki
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  2. E. Steinhagen-Thiessen
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  3. R. Nieczaj
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  4. C. C. Zouboulis
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  5. R. Eckardt
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Correspondence to E. Makrantonaki.

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Conflict of interest

E. Makrantonaki, E. Steinhagen-Thiessen, R. Nieczaj, C. C. Zouboulis and R. Eckardt state that there are no conflicts of interest.

This study was approved by the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin ethics committee. All studies described in this manuscript were carried out in accordance with national law and the Helsinki Declaration of 1975 (in its current revised form). Informed consent was obtained from all patients or caregivers included in the study.

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Makrantonaki, E., Steinhagen-Thiessen, E., Nieczaj, R. et al. Prevalence of skin diseases in hospitalized geriatric patients. Z Gerontol Geriat 50, 524–531 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-016-1084-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-016-1084-3

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