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The following is a summary of “Prevalence and clinical impact of topical corticosteroid phobia among patients with chronic hand eczema—Findings from the Danish Skin Cohort,” published in the December 2024 issue of Dermatology by Christensen et al. 

Topical corticosteroid phobia (TOPICOP) was linked to poor treatment adherence and was commonly observed in patients with skin diseases, though knowledge about its impact on treatment adherence in chronic hand eczema (CHE) was limited.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to analyze the patient-reported outcomes related to topical corticosteroids (TCSs) and the impact on treatment adherence in individuals with CHE.  

They analyzed responses from patients with CHE in the Danish Skin Cohort, who completed a questionnaire containing the TOPICOP scale and the Medication Adherence Report Scale with the response rate of 69.2%.  

The results showed that, among 927 patients with CHE, 75.5% believed that TCS damages the skin, 48.9% feared TCS would affect future health, and 36.3% reported fear of TCS despite being unaware of associated risks. A majority (77.9%) often stopped treatment early, while 54.8% delayed starting treatment. Additionally, 38.8% took less medication than prescribed, and 54.0% stopped treatment at some point. Treatment adherence decreased with higher corticosteroid phobia (P = .004).  

Investigators concluded the TOPICOP was prevalent among patients with CHE and significantly correlated with poor treatment adherence. 

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962224027117