• The CHECK study, a cross-sectional survey of over 10,000 participants, is the first to quantify the prevalence of chronic hand eczema (CHE) in the U.S.¹
• The study found 9.6% of respondents self-reported a physician-diagnosed case of CHE.¹
• Of those who received a diagnosis, 65.1% rated their disease as moderate to severe.²

LEO Pharma Inc., a global leader in medical dermatology, today announced new data from the CHECK (Chronic Hand Eczema epidemiology, Care, and Knowledge) study, advancing the understanding of the burden and impact of chronic hand eczema (CHE) on patients in the United States. The data were presented at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, across five posters that explored how CHE impacts patients’ lives.^1-5

The CHECK study enrolled over 10,000 adults aged 18 to 69 and found that 9.6% of respondents self-reported a physician-diagnosis of CHE. The large epidemiological study is the first-of-its-kind to quantify the prevalence of CHE in the U.S. general population. Notably, the data indicate a higher prevalence among men, participants who are employed, those under 40 years of age and residents of urban areas, highlighting important demographic patterns in the burden of CHE.^1,3

“These highly powered survey results provide compelling evidence that chronic hand eczema (or CHE) is a common skin disease in the United States,” said Raj Chovatiya, Lead Investigator of the study and Associate Professor at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science Chicago Medical School. “By deepening our understanding of its prevalence and identifying who is most likely to have CHE, we can better quantify the broader social and economic burden of this debilitating disease.”

One poster presented details of the severity, symptoms and treatment of CHE from the CHECK study. The majority (65.1%) of those reporting CHE (N=982) rated their disease as moderate to severe, and more than 80% of them were currently on either systemic or topical treatment. However, despite treatment, CHE-related symptoms, including itch, pain and sleep disturbances, persisted and were still commonly rated as moderate in severity.²

The impact of CHE on occupation, work productivity and activity impairment was also presented in a poster, demonstrating that a considerable proportion of respondents attributed their disease to the type of work they do (27.9%) or common everyday activities (34.9%). Of those, many reported having to modify their activities, reduce their working hours or even change their job, according to another poster.⁴

The substantial negative impact of CHE on patients was supported by another poster that demonstrated there were significantly higher out-of-pocket costs per month for emollients or other topical treatments for patients with moderate to severe CHE compared to those with mild CHE.⁵

“Hands are essential to many daily activities, social interactions and types of work. The ability to function without pain, itch and fissures is often taken for granted, but many patients living with chronic hand eczema find it is debilitating,” said Shannon Schneider, Vice President of North America Medical Affairs, LEO Pharma. “This collective data highlights that the burden of chronic hand eczema extends far beyond what is visually apparent on the skin, emphasizing the importance of more treatment options to improve disease management.”

Results from a national Ipsos survey of U.S. healthcare professionals (HCPs) about their experience managing CHE were also presented, further validating the patient-reported findings. Among the surveyed HCPs (N=192), over 90% strongly agreed that CHE impacts their patients’ ability to work and perform daily tasks and 51% agreed that there is a lack of options available to effectively treat moderate to severe CHE.⁶

LEO Pharma previously announced that it will share data on CHE, atopic dermatitis, generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) and treatments from its global portfolio in 46 different abstracts at the Fall Clinical Conference.

About Chronic Hand Eczema

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is defined as hand eczema (HE) that lasts for more than three months or relapses twice or more within a year.⁷ HE is one of the most common skin disorders of the hands, and in a substantial number of patients, it can develop into a chronic condition.⁸ CHE affects approximately one in ten adults worldwide.^9,10 It is a fluctuating disorder characterized by itch and pain, and patients may experience signs such as erythema, scaling, lichenification, hyperkeratosis, vesicles, edema, and fissures on hands and wrists.⁷ The pathophysiology is characterized by skin barrier dysfunction, inflammation of the skin and alterations of the skin microbiome.⁹

CHE has been shown to cause psychological and functional burdens that impact patient quality of life,^11,12 with approximately 70% of individuals who live with severe CHE admitting to problems in performing everyday activities.¹³ Furthermore, careers and earning potential have also been shown to be impacted by the burden of living with CHE.¹⁴

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.

References

1. Chovatiya R, Balu S, Bin Sawad A, et al. Prevalence of self-reported physician diagnosis of chronic hand eczema in adults: A cross-sectional study of more than 10,000 participants in the general population – Results from the CHECK study in the United States. Presented at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference 2025. Orlando, Florida. 06-08 Nov. Poster Presentation.
2. Chovatiya R, Balu S, Bin Sawad A, et al. Self-reported disease severity, symptoms, and treatment of chronic hand eczema – Results from the CHECK study in the United States. Presented at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference 2025. Orlando, Florida. 06-08 Nov. Poster Presentation.
3. Simpson E, Balu S, Bin Sawad A, et al. Demographics and Clinical Characteristics of chronic hand eczema patients – Results from the CHECK study in the United States. Presented at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference 2025. Orlando, Florida. 06-08 Nov. Poster Presentation.
4. Simpson E, Balu S, Bin Sawad A, et al. The impact of chronic hand eczema on occupation, work productivity, and activity impairment – Results from the CHECK study in the United States. Presented at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference 2025. Orlando, Florida. 06-08 Nov. Poster Presentation.
5. Chovatiya R, Balu S, Bin Sawad A, et al. Healthcare resource utilization and financial burden among patients with chronic hand eczema – Results from the CHECK study in the United States. Presented at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference 2025. Orlando, Florida. 06-08 Nov. Poster Presentation.
6. Chovatiya R, DiRuggiero D, Sardana J, et al. Chronic hand eczema treatment burden: Results from a survey of dermatology healthcare professionals. Presented at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference 2025. Orlando, Florida. 06-08 Nov. Poster Presentation.
7. Thyssen JP, Schuttelaar MLA, Alfonso JH, et al. Guidelines for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of hand eczema. Contact Dermatitis. 2022;86(5):357-378.
8. Bissonnette R, Diepgen TL, Elsner P, et al. Redefining treatment options in chronic hand eczema (CHE). J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2010;24 Suppl 3:1-20.
9. Lee GR, Maarouf M, Hendricks AK, Lee DE, Shi VY. Current and emerging therapies for hand eczema. Dermatol Ther. 2019;32(3):e12840.
10. Quaade AS, Simonsen AB, Halling A-S, Thyssen JP, Johansen JD. Prevalence, incidence, and severity of hand eczema in the general population – A systematic review and meta-analysis. Contact Dermatitis. 2021;84:361–374.
11. Grant L, Seiding Larsen L, Burrows K, et al. Development of a Conceptual Model of Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE) Based on Qualitative Interviews with Patients and Expert Dermatologists. Adv Ther. 2020;37(2):692-706.
12. Dalgard FJ, Gieler U, Tomas-Aragones L, et al. The psychological burden of skin diseases: a cross-sectional multicenter study among dermatological out-patients in 13 European countries. J Invest Dermatol. 2015;135(4):984-991.
13. Cortesi PA, Scalone L, Belisari A, et al. Cost and quality of life in patients with severe chronic hand eczema refractory to standard therapy with topical potent corticosteroids. Contact Dermatitis. 2014;70(3):158-168.
14. Voorberg AN, Loman L, Schuttelaar MLA. Prevalence and Severity of Hand Eczema in the Dutch General Population: A Cross-sectional, Questionnaire Study within the Lifelines Cohort Study. Acta Derm Venereol. 2022;102:adv00626.

MAT-86847 October 2025

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