The Histomorphologic Profile of Skin Diseases in Kuwait

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2023-11, Vol.15 (11), p.e48729-e48729
• Main Authors: Almutairi, Rawan, Al-Sabah, Humoud
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Biopsy; Connective tissue diseases; Cysts; Dermatitis; Dermatology; Eczema; Females; Fungal infections; Gender; Metabolism; Pathology; Patients; Psoriasis; Skin cancer; Skin diseases; Steroids; Tumors
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48729

Background Although dermatological disorders are common in all countries, their spectrum varies greatly, with a wide histological variation. This study aimed to investigate the frequency and spectrum of different histopathological patterns of skin lesions in relation to age and gender in Kuwait. Methodology This was a retrospective descriptive study. Skin biopsy samples collected over a five-year period from 2018 to 2022 at the dermatopathology department of a tertiary dermatology center in Kuwait were included in this study. The distribution of lesions according to age and gender was analyzed. Results Of the 1,796 skin tissues reviewed, the ages ranged from one month to 93 years, with a mean age of 38.9 years. A female predominance was noted, with a female-to-male ratio of 1.8:1. Most patients belonged to the 30-39-year age group. The most frequent diagnostic categories were neoplasms and papulosquamous diseases. The five most common diseases were psoriasis, lichen planus, mycosis fungoides, benign melanocytic nevus, and epidermal inclusion cysts. The most commonly encountered diseases were similarly distributed according to gender (p > 0.05). Conclusions Neoplasms and papulosquamous lesions dominated this investigation. Therefore, understanding the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to psoriasis is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies and comprehensively managing the condition. Additionally, the community should be educated to prevent repeated unprotected ultraviolet light sun exposure and early diagnosis of any suspicious lesions to reduce the prevalence of neoplastic skin diseases. Histopathological research on cutaneous lesions is rare, with none reported from Kuwait. Our histopathology-based retrospective analysis provides a baseline for population-specific skin disease studies.