US Prevalence of Chronic Hand Eczema Identified in CHECK Study

Approximately 9.6% of respondents in a new study self-report having a diagnosed case of chronic hand eczema (CHE), recent data suggest.1

These findings and others regarding CHE’s prevalence within the US were announced by LEO Pharma Inc. and presented at the 2025 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. The data resulted from the CHECK (Chronic Hand Eczema epidemiology, Care, and Knowledge) study, presented in 5 posters, during which investigators looked at CHE’s burden and impacts on patients in the US.

“These highly powered survey results provide compelling evidence that chronic hand eczema (or CHE) is a common skin disease in the United States,” Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, lead investigator of CHECK and associate professor at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science Chicago Medical School, said in a statement.1 “By deepening our understanding of its prevalence and identifying who is most likely to have CHE, we can better quantify the broader social and economic burden of this debilitating disease.”

CHE is characterized by hand eczema that persists for longer than 3 months or recurs at least 2 times within a single year. It is among the most prevalent skin diseases impacting one's hands, with roughly 10% of adults worldwide having the condition.2 Those living with CHE can experience pruritus, scaling, erythema, lichenification, vesicles, edema, hyperkeratosis, and fissures on the hands and wrists.

The condition imposes significant psychological and functional impacts on those living with it, with patients’ quality of life often being diminished. Approximately 70% of individuals with severe CHE have difficulty performing everyday tasks, with the disease negatively impacting both career prospects and earning potential among some patients.3

Enrollment of participants during the CHECK study involved 10,000 adults in the US aged 18 - 69 years. In Chovatiya and colleagues' research, 9.6% of respondents were reported to have been given a physician diagnosis of this skin disease. This analysis epresents the first comprehensive effort to quantify the prevalence of CHE among those in the general population of the US.

Additionally, higher rates of CHE among younger adults under 40, men, employed individuals, and those residing in urban areas were all identified, emphasizing notable demographic differences in the burden of disease.

Additional CHECK study findings presented in a poster at Fall Clinical detailed disease severity, persistence of symptoms, and patterns related to treatment. Among the 982 subjects included in the study with CHE, 65.1% classified their own disease as being moderate to severe in its severity. More than 80% were shown to have been treated either with topical or systemic medications, yet symptoms such as pain, itch, and sleep disturbance remained common and were frequently rated as moderate in intensity despite therapies implemented.

In another poster, Chovatiya et al had examined CHE's occupational and functional consequences of CHE. In their findings, 27.9% of patients were noted as believing their condition to be connected to their occupation. Additionally, the investigative team found 34.9% attributed their CHE to routine daily activities. As a result of disease symptoms, many of these subjects reported modifying tasks, lowering their own work hours, or even changing professions.

The team also highlighted financial burdens linked with the skin disease in a separate analysis. They found those with moderate to severe CHE had incurred significantly higher monthly out-of-pocket expenses to pay for emollients and other topical options compared with those reporting mild disease (P < .05). In a national Ipsos survey of 192 healthcare professionals in the US, complementary findings reinforced these patient-reported experiences.

The investigators identified agreement between 90% of clinicians regarding CHE's substantial effects on patients’ ability to work and carry out their activities each day. They also found 51% expressed concerns regarding the limited availability of effective options for moderate to severe disease treatment.

“This collective data highlights that the burden of chronic hand eczema extends far beyond what is visually apparent on the skin, emphasizing the importance of more treatment options to improve disease management," Shannon Schneider, vice president of North America Medical Affairs at LEO Pharma, said in a statement.1

References

1. LEO Pharma Unveils Data on the U.S. Prevalence of Chronic Hand Eczema at Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. LEO Pharma, Inc. October 24, 2025. Accessed October 28, 2025. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251024915669/en/LEO-Pharma-Unveils-Data-on-the-U.S.-Prevalence-of-Chronic-Hand-Eczema-at-Fall-Clinical-Dermatology-Conference.

2. Thyssen JP, Schuttelaar MLA, Alfonso JH, et al. Guidelines for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of hand eczema. Contact Dermatitis. 2022;86(5):357-378. Accessed October 28, 2025.

3. Cortesi PA, Scalone L, Belisari A, et al. Cost and quality of life in patients with severe chronic hand eczema refractory to standard therapy with topical potent corticosteroids. Contact Dermatitis. 2014;70(3):158-168. Accessed October 28, 2025.