CLINICOEPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF HYPOPIGMENTARY DISORDERS IN PEDIATRIC AGE GROUP

Abstract

Introduction: Skin diseases are a major health problem in the pediatric age group. Skin diseases constitute 30% of all visits to a pediatrician and 30% of all visits to a dermatologist involve children. The prevalence of pediatric dermatoses in various parts of India has ranged from 8.7% to 35% in school-based surveys.

Methods: This was a hospital based observational study carried out at the outpatient department of Skin and VD at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur. The period of study was for 1.5 years from January 2020 to June 2021. A total of 200 patients in the pediatric age group were included. Patients included in the study were all patients of both genders between 0-18 years presenting with hypopigmented disorders, while patients excluded were those presenting with depigmented disorders. 

Results: In our study, majority of the children were boys (108, 54%) while 92 (46%) were girls. The most common hypopigmentary disorder seen was pityriasis alba in 56 (28%) children, followed by pityriasis versicolor in 55 (27.5%), postinflammatory hypopigmentation in 29 (14.5%), seborrheic dermatitis in 23 (11.5%), polymorphous light eruption in 21 (10.5%), and lichen striatus in 4 (2%). Nevus depigmentosus, Hansen’s disease and previtiligo were seen in 3 (1.5%) each. Hypomelanosis of ito, guttate morphea, and lichen sclerosus were seen in 1 (0.5%) child each.

Conclusion: The study has highlighted that the most common hypopigmentary disorder in the pediatric age group is pityriasis alba (28%), out of which many were atopics, followed by pityriasis versicolor (27.5%).