Palmoplantar pustulosis: Factors causing and influencing the course of the disease

Abstract

Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a chronic inflammatory disease, most often occurring in middle-aged women. In the course of the condition, painful skin lesions appear on the hands and feet, i.e., areas that are extremely important in everyday life. Therefore, the disease significantly reduces quality of life. The pathogenesis of this disease is poorly understood, although it is known that genetic, immunological and environmental factors play a role in its development. Clinical observations confirm the role of nicotine and contact allergens in the development of the lesions. The skin lesions can also occur as a side effect of certain medications. In some cases, PPP coexists with other diseases, i.e., seronegative arthropathies, as well as celiac and thyroid diseases. There is also a connection between the disease and infectious bacterial foci. Exacerbation of the skin lesions is triggered by stress. Therefore, patients require multidirectional tests, since finding the cause of the disease is essential to administering effective treatment.