LEO Pharma Survey: Dermatology Providers Say Chronic Hand Eczema Is Widely Misunderstood and Inadequately Managed

MADISON, N.J. – Sixty-five percent of dermatology providers surveyed agree there is a lack of education and understanding of chronic hand eczema (CHE) as a condition separate from atopic dermatitis (AD), according to the first phase of the survey commissioned by LEO Pharma Inc., a global leader in medical dermatology, and conducted by Ipsos.

“Chronic hand eczema, often abbreviated as ‘CHE,’ is one of the most common skin disorders of the hands. Affecting about 15.9 million people in the U.S., CHE is associated with pain, itching, and cracked, raw, blistering skin lesions that can make life difficult”

The survey, which includes responses from 100 doctors and 92 nurse practitioners (NPs) or physician assistants (PAs) in dermatology, found half of these dermatology providers (51%) agree the current treatments approved for moderate-to-severe AD are not sufficient for the treatment of moderate-to-severe CHE. Almost two-thirds consider CHE more frustrating to manage compared to other chronic skin conditions, like psoriasis. There is currently no FDA-approved treatment for CHE.

“Chronic hand eczema, often abbreviated as ‘CHE,’ is one of the most common skin disorders of the hands. Affecting about 15.9 million people in the U.S., CHE is associated with pain, itching, and cracked, raw, blistering skin lesions that can make life difficult,” said Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, MSCI, Clinical Associate Professor, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science Chicago Medical School. “Unfortunately, because CHE is a multifactorial condition with overlapping morphologic and etiologic subtypes, diagnosis and treatment can be complex and burdensome. It is crucial that we continue to learn more about this condition and explore effective longitudinal disease management strategies to help alleviate its burden.”

LEO Pharma will host a symposium, “Chronic Hand Eczema: A New Day Is at Hand,” at 7 p.m. ET on March 6 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando ahead of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting. The purpose of the event is to create greater awareness and understanding of CHE among dermatology providers, and it will feature additional survey results.

“With such a considerable gap in knowledge, and an unmet need for patients living with CHE, we hope this survey and the educational opportunities we are offering at AAD will drive increased awareness of the condition among healthcare providers,” said Robert Spurr, EVP and President, Region North America, LEO Pharma. “It’s only through better understanding of this complex disease that we can help improve the standard of care in medical dermatology and ultimately improve patients’ quality of life.”

Additional survey findings revealed:

• Patients with CHE spend a lot of time at the doctor’s office. Sixty-two percent of dermatology providers surveyed say their moderate-to-severe CHE patients average three to four office visits per year. Twenty-seven percent report their patients come to the office five to six times a year.
• According to respondents in the survey, a lack of suitable treatment options for CHE means doctors write a lot of prescriptions but notice low medication adherence. Sixty-one percent of these dermatology providers say, on average, their moderate to severe CHE patients are currently on three to four different medications to treat CHE, but almost a quarter (24%) estimate between 31% and 50% of their CHE patients are noncompliant.

Data from the second phase of the survey, which found 96% of surveyed U.S. dermatology providers agree moderate to severe CHE has a strong impact on patients’ work and home life, will be released in Q2 2025. These data reveal more details on the impact of CHE on the lives of people living with it, according to their healthcare providers.

To learn more about CHE, visit www.TalkCHE.com.

About LEO Pharma

LEO Pharma is a global leader in medical dermatology. We deliver innovative solutions for skin health, building on a century of experience with breakthrough medicines in healthcare. We are committed to making a fundamental difference in people’s lives, and our broad portfolio of treatments serves close to 100 million patients in over 70 countries annually. Headquartered in Denmark, LEO Pharma has a team of 4,000 people worldwide. LEO Pharma is co-owned by majority shareholder the LEO Foundation and, since 2021, Nordic Capital. For more information, visit www.leo-pharma.com.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is the world’s third-largest market research company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people. Their passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multispecialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. Ipsos serves more than 5,000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.

About the Survey Methodology

Ipsos fielded an online, 15-minute, self-administered, cross-sectional survey among healthcare providers (HCPs) currently practicing in the United States between Jan. 10 and Feb. 4, 2025. Respondents were recruited from opt-in panels of HCPs across the country. To participate in the survey, all respondents had to be practicing dermatologists or an NP/PA in a dermatology office and managed at least 10 patients in the past six months with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis on the wrists/hands.

Potential respondents were excluded from participation if they were unwilling to provide informed consent to participate in the study, have an employer-imposed restriction that would prevent participation, were located in Vermont or Michigan (due to transparency reporting laws in these states for HCPs), did not regularly treat patients with atopic dermatitis/eczema, or were unaware of any prescription treatments for moderate-to-severe chronic/reoccurring hand eczema.

The final sample size of 192 HCPs consisted of 100 dermatologists and 92 NPs/PAs practicing in a dermatology office. Survey responses weighted according to regional representation. Findings reflect the opinion of these respondents only.

MAT-80221 – March 2025