ANGULAR CHELITIS

Course overview

ANGULAR CHEILITIS DESCRIBES AN INFLAMMATORY SKIN PROCESS OF VARIABLE ETIOLOGY OCCURRING AT THE LABIAL COMMISSURE, THE ANGLE OF THE MOUTH. IT IS USUALLY A SYMPTOM OF ANOTHER CONDITION AND LEADS TO SALIVA-INDUCED MACERATION OF THE STRUCTURALLY SUSCEPTIBLE EPITHELIUM AT THE LABIAL COMMISSURES. SYMPTOMS ARE OFTEN MILD, AND THE CONDITION CAN GO UNTREATED FOR YEARS BEFORE BEING BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF A MEDICAL PROVIDER. THE OBSERVATION OF ANGULAR CHEILITIS SHOULD PROMPT AN EVALUATION FOR ORAL CANDIDIASIS. AS THE ELDERLY ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO ANGULAR CHEILITIS, PROVIDERS SHOULD BE MORE VIGILANT IN THIS POPULATION. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES AND HOW TO EVALUATE A PATIENT WITH IT PROPERLY. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.