BACKGROUND

Long-term follow-up studies on the prognosis and consequences of occupational hand eczema (OHE) and the prognostic risk factors for persistent OHE are sparse.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the medical and occupational outcome after a follow-up of 7-14 years in 605 patients diagnosed with OHE and to identify the prognostic risk factors for the continuation of hand eczema.

METHODS

Patients examined at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in 1994-2001 completed a follow-up questionnaire 7-14 years after diagnosis.

RESULTS

The hand eczema had healed (no eczema during the last year) in 40% of patients with OHE. The duration of hand eczema before diagnosis was strongly associated with the continuation of eczema. Age, sex and diagnosis (allergic or irritant contact dermatitis) were not associated with the prognosis, but skin atopy, and especially respiratory atopy, were correlated with the continuation of hand eczema. Contact allergies in general were not risk factors for persistent OHE, but the presence of a work-related chromate allergy was associated with poor healing. A total of 34% of patients had changed their occupation due to OHE, and their long-term prognosis was better than those who had not. The hand eczema of patients originally in food-related occupations continued on an unfavourable course.

CONCLUSIONS

In the logistic model, risk factors for the continuation of OHE were a long duration of hand eczema before diagnosis, respiratory atopy, skin atopy, and continuation in the same occupation. Those who ended up changing occupation due to their OHE had a better medical and economic prognosis.