Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, MSCI, Discusses CHECK Study Findings on CHE Prevalence in the US

“I always love when we have findings that suggest that a disease condition may perhaps be more common than previously thought before, because it's always a really great jolt to us in dermatology that we definitely need to be doing more to try to deal with this condition in a clinical sense,” Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, MSCI, said in an interview with Dermatology Times.

Chovatiya, clinical associate professor at the Rosalind Franklin University Chicago Medical School, founder and director of the Center for Medical Dermatology and Immunology Research in Chicago, and a Dermatology Times Editorial Advisory Board member, discussed the clinical and epidemiological significance of chronic hand eczema (CHE) and recent findings from Leo Pharma’s CHECK study. Results from the first large-scale investigation of its kind in the US were presented at this year’s Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference.

Chovatiya emphasized that CHE is a profoundly debilitating condition, both physically and psychologically. Defined as eczema persisting for more than 3 months or recurring at least twice annually, CHE presents with diverse manifestations, including erythema, fissuring, hyperkeratosis, and lichenification. Patients frequently experience severe itching, pain, sleep disturbance, and emotional distress, all of which contribute to substantial impairment in quality of life. The condition is particularly disabling because it affects the essential tools for occupational, domestic, and recreational activities, thereby compromising daily functioning and work productivity.

The CHECK study, a large epidemiologic effort surveying over 10,000 US adults, provided the first representative prevalence data for CHE. The results indicate that approximately 1 in 10 adults in the United States is affected, establishing CHE as a common yet underrecognized condition. The study further identified demographic trends, showing higher prevalence among men, employed individuals, those under 40 years of age, and urban residents. Furthermore, many patients had altered their jobs or routines, as 27.9% attributed their CHE to work and 34.9% to everyday activities.

According to Chovatiya, the implications for dermatology practice are significant. Improved recognition, early diagnosis, and patient education about triggers and disease management are key to better outcomes. The CHECK data underscore the need for greater clinical attention, therapeutic development, and educational initiatives targeting both patients and healthcare providers.

“It's studies like this that really unveil, indeed, how common a condition is,” Chovatiya concluded. “With the right type of education on the disease, we then can maybe start to understand a little bit about what we can do to prevent some of these complications of the disease itself, and how best to clinically manage these symptoms.”

Looking ahead, Chovatiya noted that the CHECK dataset will continue to inform future research into CHE’s burden, treatment gaps, and patient experiences. Preliminary findings, echoed by surveys of US healthcare providers, reveal a perceived lack of effective treatment options for moderate-to-severe CHE, highlighting a critical need for innovation in therapeutic approaches and patient-centered care.