Pattern of dermatoses in the elderly population attending the dermatology clinic at a Tertiary Care Center in South-East Rajasthan

Introduction: The skin acts as the first line of defense for the body against external injuries. With aging, the architecture of the skin undergoes intrinsic changes that impair its capacity for repair. In addition, the aging skin is more susceptible to injury by external stimuli, including ultraviolet rays and environmental pollutants. The combination of these factors predisposes the elderly to a variety of dermatological disorders, including xerosis, pruritus, photoaging, eczematous disorders, and tumors. The elderly (>60 years of age) population in India accounted for 8.6% (104 million) in 2011, and the figure has been projected to increase to 19% by the year 2050. It is imperative to identify the pattern of cutaneous disorders in this population as skin care regimens aimed to improve epidermal function have been shown to be effective in the prevention and treatment of some of these aging-associated cutaneous disorders. Objectives: The objective of the study was to identify the pattern of dermatoses among the elderly population attending the dermatology clinic at a tertiary care hospital in South-east Rajasthan. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study of patients above the age of 60 years who attended the dermatology clinic at a tertiary care hospital in South-east Rajasthan from May 2018 to May 2020. A combination of history, physical examination, and clinical investigations (when appropriate) were used to establish the diagnosis. Results: A total of 210 patients were included in this study. Most patients were between the age group of 60–65 years (40.47%). One hundred and thirty-eight were male (65.71%) and 72 were female (34.28%), with a male to female ratio of 1.9:1. Our study demonstrated that xerosis was one of the most common diagnoses seen in 126 cases (60%), followed by eczematous skin conditions seen in 82 cases (39%). Conclusion: The elderly constitute an important part of the population. Cutaneous disorders in the elderly range from mild disorders such as cherry angiomas to dermatological malignancies. Therefore, it is important to recognize the pattern of dermatosis in this population so that appropriate therapeutic and preventive strategies could be implemented.