Atopic Dermatitis Prevalent Among U.S. Adults

A study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology revealed a high incidence of atopic dermatitis among U.S. adults, with an estimated 16.5 million individuals living with the condition. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis is 7.3% among adults, results revealed.

The researchers also showed that out of the 1,278 adults involved in the study, 7.3% had atopic dermatitis. 60% of those with AD classified as mild, 29% as moderate, and 11% as severe. Those with severe cases were reported to have a worse quality of life and an increased likelihood of anxiety and depression.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that is commonly associated with children, but can also occur at any age. The dry, itchy red patches can appear anywhere on the skin and tend to flare periodically and unpredictably.

"Our findings show this disease affects seven percent of the population, far more than other inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, which only affects about three percent. Yet psoriasis has eight biologic treatments available for patients, whereas atopic dermatitis only has one that's approved,”study's lead author Zelma C. Chiesa Fuxench, MD, MSCE said.

They stressed that increased awareness of AD’s prevalence among adults will help lead to more timely diagnosis and treatment. They also emphasized the need for increased development of systemic therapies for atopic dermatitis in the future.

Reference:
 
Fuxench ZC, Block J, Boguniewicz M, et al. Atopic dermatitis in American study: a cross-sectional study examining the prevalence and disease burden of atopic dermatitis in the US adult population. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2018. https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(18)32678-2/pdf