European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Solar radiation constitutes the primary source of light globally, encompassing a broad spectrum. However, only a small percentage, approximately 2–3% of ultraviolet light (UV), around 32% of visible light, and slightly less than 66% of infrared light, reaches the Earth's surface. Photodermatoses comprise a diverse group of skin disorders either caused or exacerbated by UV radiation and/or visible light. These distinct photosensitive cutaneous conditions can be categorized into four primary groups. Idiopathic photodermatoses refer to photosensitive disorders likely mediated by autoimmunity and include polymorphous light eruption (PMLE), chronic actinic dermatitis, solar urticaria, actinic prurigo (AP), and hydroa vacciniforme (HV). Materials & Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases at SLN Medical College & Hospital, Koraput, Odisha, over a one-year period from September 2017 to August 2018. The participants comprised patients attending the Skin & Venereal Diseases Outpatient Department (OPD), those referred from other departments, and cases admitted to the wards of the Skin & Venereal Diseases department, all diagnosed with a specific idiopathic photodermatosis. The study included individuals of all age groups and both sexes, excluding those taking systemic steroids or any photosensitizing drugs. Diagnoses were primarily based on history and clinical assessments, with additional investigations (histology, blood & urine examination) in selected cases to rule out other diseases (such as lupus erythematosus and porphyrias). Results: The incidence of individual photodermatoses per 100 patients varied from 0.54 for the most common disorder (PMLE) to 0.0% for the rarest disorder (HV). The study recorded a total of 170 cases of idiopathic photodermatoses over one year, constituting a frequency of 0.61% (170 out of 28,066 cases in all skin OPD cases). The majority of PMLE cases (33.3%) were observed in the 21-30 age group. Females outnumbered males in all age groups except for the 41-50 years and >60 years categories, where sex incidence was equal. In chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD), the most commonly affected age group was 51-60 years (66.7%), with males outnumbering females in all age groups. Conclusion: Since this study was hospital-based, its results may not fully represent the disease's status in the broader community. Furthermore, being a tertiary care center, most cases originated from areas geographically distant from the local population. Consequently, the study's findings may not reflect the general population but provide an overview of the disease's general trend.