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Review
. 2022 Nov 11;11(11):1651.
doi: 10.3390/biology11111651.

Population Characteristics, Symptoms, and Risk Factors of Idiopathic Chilblains: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression

Areti K Kapnia  1 , Styliani Ziaka  1 , Leonidas G Ioannou  1 , Irini Flouri  2 , Petros C Dinas  1 , Andreas D Flouris  1
Affiliations
Review

Population Characteristics, Symptoms, and Risk Factors of Idiopathic Chilblains: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression

Areti K Kapnia et al. Biology (Basel). .

Abstract

Background: Chilblains/perniosis is a non-freezing cold injury causing painful inflammatory skin lesions. Its pathogenesis remains poorly understood because it is often studied as secondary to other underlying conditions.

Methods: We systematically investigated the population characteristics, symptoms, and predisposing factors of chilblains in healthy adults exposed to cool/cold environments. We screened PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and we adopted PRISMA reporting guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42021245307). The risk of bias was assessed by two independent reviewers (RTI item bank). Random-effects model meta-analyses were performed to calculate the pooled prevalence of histopathological features. Mixed-effects meta-regressions were used to assess other sources of between-study heterogeneity.

Results: Thirteen studies (477 patients) were included. Chilblains affect more women than men, up to 12% of the body skin surface, and most frequently, the hands and fingers. Meta-analyses of nine studies (303 patients) showed a frequent presence of perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate (81%), basal epidermal-cell layer vacuolation (67%), papillary dermal edema (66%), and perieccrine lymphocytic infiltrate (57%). Meta-regressions (p ≤ 0.05) showed that smoking and frequent occupational exposure to water increase the likelihood of histopathological features.

Conclusions: The population characteristics, symptoms, and predisposing factors of chilblains revealed in this analysis should be incorporated in medical care to improve the condition's diagnosis and management.

Keywords: histopathological features; occupation; perniosis; prevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flowchart illustrating the study selection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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