Seborrhoeic dermatitis in the elderly: inferences on the possible role of disability and loss of self-sufficiency

The constant increase of life expectancy in countries with high standards of living raises growing concern about many aspects of skin morbidity in the elderly. ,4.s regards seborrhoeic dermatifis, literature yields prevalence esfimates for elderly people that are eonsistently higher than those reported from the general populafion. This prompts speculations on wheÉher factors inherently involved in senescence might have some role in the course of seborrhoeic dermafitis. In a series of 186 subiects, aged >65, strength of association of the skin disorder with ege, sex, coexisting non-cutanecus conditions, and degree of loss of self-sufficiency in activities of daily living {ADL index) was evaluafed by univariate and multivariate analysis. We found that age (OR: 1.14; p<0.001) and, more importantly, dcpendency in more than one ADL (OR: 30.2; p<0.0ù01) were independent explanatory variables of seborrhoeic dermatitis. These findings suggest that s€nescenc€ per se might have some significance in the natural history of this type of eczema. Key v,ords: sehorrhoeic dermatitis; old age; senescence; tlisahility; ADL index; oùls varto