An observational and descriptive study of the epidemiology of and therapeutic approach to onychomycosis in dermatology offices in Brazil

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is a type of fungal infection that accounts for over 50% of all onycopathies. Some authors consider superficial mycosis the most difficult to be treated. Very few studies have been carried out in order to assess the epidemiology of onychomycosis in Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological profile of onychomycosis in Brazilian dermatology offices and to assess the etiology of the disease, how often mycosis exams are requested, and the treatment adopted. METHODS: A descriptive, observational study was carried out between May and July, 2010. Thirty-eight dermatologists from different Brazilian regions participated in the study, and 7,852 patients with any skin diseases who had all of their nails examined were included in the study. RESULTS: Of the 7,852 patients, 28.3% were clinically diagnosed as having onychomycosis. Women over 45 years old who practiced exercises or with a personal history of the disease showed greater likelihood of having onychomycosis. The disease was most seen in the feet, and the majority of cases involved the hallux. On the hands, the index finger was the most affected. Mycosis exams were not requested for all clinically suspected cases. When exams were done, results showed that the most common fungus was Trichophyton rubrum. The most common clinical lesion was distal-lateral. The most prescribed topical treatments were amorolfine and ciclopirox olamine, while systemic treatments included fluconazole and terbinafine. CONCLUSION: This study was important to describe the epidemiological behavior of onychomycosis in Brazilian dermatology offices and to determine important risk factors, such as gender, age, practice of exercises, personal history of the disease, and comorbidities