Cross-Sectional Analysis of Paronychias in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System 1999-2018.

INTRODUCTION

Paronychia is the most common hand infection. Prior paronychia studies were limited by small patient numbers. We conducted a national-level analysis over two decades, analyzing demographics, etiologies, and trends in paronychia cases.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of paronychia cases in the 1999-2018 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database. Sex, race, age, and cause were recorded and compared using χ, ANOVA, and tests. Multivariable linear regression analysis assessed changes in age, weight, and sex over time.

RESULTS

We analyzed a total of 2,512 cases, with an average age of 27.6 ± 20.6 years, 45.5% females, and 25.6% white and 28.6% black patients. In multivariable linear regression, both age and weight significantly increased over time. Manicuring was the most common etiology (30.9%), increasing in incidence over time and with a higher frequency in adults ( < 0.0001) and females ( < 0.0001). There was a significant decrease in pediatric paronychia cases over time, particularly in 0- to 4-year-olds. Possible limitations include missed paronychia cases or additional non-paronychia cases due to improper coding, infrequent race reporting, and inability to analyze treatments or distinguish between paronychia subtypes.

CONCLUSIONS

Paronychia cases were associated with increased age and weight over time with different presentations by age. Manicuring represents the largest growing paronychia etiology.