Clinical and Demographic Forms of Vulval Dermatoses and their Impact on Quality of Life: A Tertiary Care Study

Abstract

Objective: This study's objective was to examine the clinical and demographic aspects of vulval dermatoses as well as how they affect patients' quality of life (QoL) in a tertiary care setting.

Methods: The study comprised 175 individuals with vulval dermatoses in total. Recorded information included demographic details, clinical diagnoses, presenting symptoms, and histological findings. To evaluate the impact on QoL, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was employed.

Results: Lichen sclerosus (42.9%), lichen planus (25.7%), contact dermatitis (11.4%), psoriasis (10.3%), eczema (5.7%), and vulvodynia (4.0%) were the most common clinical diagnoses. The most frequent presenting symptom was itching (73.1%). In the majority of cases, histopathological findings confirmed the clinical diagnoses, with lichen sclerosus and lichen planus being the most frequently identified conditions. A moderate influence on quality of life was indicated by the mean DLQI score of 10.2.

Conclusion: This study sheds light on the clinical, demographic, and QoL effects of vulval dermatoses. Itching was the most frequent presenting symptom, and the most frequent diagnoses were lichen sclerosus and lichen planus. These results underline the necessity of thorough management approaches that take into account the psychological and dermatological aspects of vulval dermatoses.