Pattern of Skin Diseases in Geriatric Patients Attending Tertiary Care Centre
March 2017
in “
Journal of evolution of medical and dental sciences
”
TLDR Older adults often have dry skin and itching, with high blood pressure frequently linked to skin problems.
In a study conducted over two years involving 300 geriatric patients over 60 years old at a tertiary care center, the most frequent skin complaint was pruritus (44%), and the most common physiological skin change was xerosis (93%). Hypertension was the most common systemic illness associated with skin diseases (23%). Lichen simplex chronicus and fungal infections were the most prevalent types of eczema and infections, respectively, each affecting 11% of patients. Bullous pemphigoid was the sole bullous disorder reported, in 1% of patients. Additionally, 90% of patients experienced greying of hair, and 40% had vertical ridging of nails. The study underscores the importance of focusing on geriatric dermatology for early diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions in the elderly.
