Dermatitis Artefacta: A Retrospective Descriptive Study of 46 Patients

Eugenia Veronica Di Brizzi; Gianluca  Ficca; Vincenzo Piccolo; Camila  Scharf; Giulia Briatico; Sebastiano Pellerone; Giuseppe Argenziano

doi:10.5826/

Dermatitis Artefacta: A Retrospective Descriptive Study of 46 Patients

Authors

Eugenia Veronica Di Brizzi Dermatology Unit, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Gianluca Ficca Department of Psychology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Vincenzo Piccolo Dermatology Unit, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Camila Scharf Dermatology Unit, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Giulia Briatico Dermatology Unit, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Sebastiano Pellerone Dermatology Unit, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Giuseppe Argenziano Dermatology Unit, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy

Keywords:

artefact dermatitis, patomimia, self-induced dermatoses, dermatology

Abstract

Introduction: Self-induced dermatoses are self-inflicted skin lesions, whose occurrence patient denies responsibility for.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate all the clinical records of dermatitis artefacta (DA) in order to put special focus on: a) epidemiological aspects; b) location, shape and additional features of the lesions; c) availability of psychiatric details in the records.

Methods: A retrospective observational descriptive study on 46 patients affected by dermatitis artefacta was conducted from January 2015 to March 2021. The only inclusion criterion was clinical or histological diagnosis of DA in patients for which we had clinical images.

Results: The most frequent type of lesions were erosions/excoriations and ulcers (14/46, 30.4% and 13/46, 28.3% respectively) followed by ecchymoses (9/46, 19.5%), vasculitis-like lesions (5/46, 10.9%), crusted plaques (3/46, 6.5%), scales (1/46, 2.2%) and erythema (1/46, 2.2%). Thirty-three percent of the medical records generically referred to the presence of psychiatric disorder, but none of them included a specific psychiatric diagnosis.

Conclusions: In our study the main dermatologic lesions observed in DA were represented by excoriations and ulcers and that the shape and location of the lesions are essential for a correct diagnosis.

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