Treatment satisfaction in adults with atopic dermatitis: a cross-sectional, population-based study examining patient and physician perspectives in the US.

Studies examining the real-world treatment satisfaction in adults with atopic dermatitis (AD) and the physicians who treat adults with AD are scarce. We sought to characterize treatment satisfaction of adults with AD and physicians' perceived patient satisfaction with AD treatment. We performed a cross-sectional study of adults > = 18 years of age (modified AD UK Working Party Criteria, age onset < = 18 [N = 767]) with AD and a parallel-physician survey among allergists/immunologists [N = 148], dermatologists [N = 149] and primary care medicine [N = 104]. Logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with patient treatment satisfaction (PTS) or physician-perceived patient treatment satisfaction (pPTS). Factors associated with increased PTS included female, older age, and receiving a written eczema action plan (EAP). Severe AD, itch, pain, and insomnia, greater impact on partner relationships, feeling not adequately informed about AD causes, and being separated, never married, or living with a partner was associated with less PTS. From the physician's perspective, mild AD and development of EAP was associated with increase pPTS, whereas being in practice longer was associated with less pPTS. Limitations include the potential for misclassification of AD and the inability to match AD patients to individual physicians. Recognizing which factors are associated with treatment satisfaction can help inform counseling and decision-making strategies, including the use of an eczema action plan, and support patient-physician outcomes alignment.

Ruxolitinib cream monotherapy demonstrates rapid improvement in the extent and signs of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis across head and neck and other anatomic regions in adolescents and adults: pooled results from 2 phase 3 studies.

Purpose: Ruxolitinib (selective Janus kinase [JAK] 1 and JAK2 inhibitor) cream demonstrated efficacy and safety in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) in the phase 3 TRuE-AD studies. In TRuE-AD1/TRuE-AD2 (NCT03745638/NCT03745651), adults and adolescents with mild to moderate AD were randomized to apply twice-daily ruxolitinib cream or vehicle for eight weeks. Here, we evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of ruxolitinib cream by anatomic region, focusing on head/neck (HN) lesions that are typically difficult to manage and disproportionately affect quality of life (QoL).Materials and methods: Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) responses in anatomic regions were evaluated in the pooled population (N = 1208) and among patients with baseline HN involvement (n = 663). Itch, Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA), QoL, and application site tolerability were also assessed.Results: By Week 2 (earliest assessment), ruxolitinib cream application resulted in significant improvements across all EASI anatomic region subscores and AD signs versus vehicle, with further improvements through Week 8. Significantly more patients with HN involvement who applied ruxolitinib cream versus vehicle achieved clinically meaningful improvements in itch, IGA, and QoL. Application site reactions with ruxolitinib cream were infrequent (<3%), including in patients with HN involvement.Conclusions: These results support the use of ruxolitinib cream for AD treatment across all anatomic regions, including HN.

Risk of atopic dermatitis and the atopic march paradigm in children of mothers with atopic illnesses: A birth cohort study from the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is thought to precede the onset of other allergic illness (OAI) in a temporal progression (ie, atopic march), yet the timing and progression has been questioned. It is also unclear how parental allergic illness impacts the development of these illnesses in offspring. OBJECTIVE: (1) Explore risk of incident AD and (2) timing of allergic disease onset in children of mothers with AD compared with mothers without AD from the United Kingdom. METHODS: We created a birth cohort of mother-child pairs using IQVIA Medical Research Data database and developed Cox proportional models to examine the above associations (hazard ratio, HR [95% confidence interval, CI]). RESULTS: Among 1,224,243 child-mother pairs, mean child (standard deviation) follow-up time was 10.8 (8.3) years and 50.1% were males (N = 600,905). Children were 59% (HR = 1.59 [1.57, 1.60]) more likely to have AD if their mothers had AD compared with no AD with mean age of first AD diagnosis at 3.3 (4.8) years. Most children with any diagnosis of AD present with AD first (91.0%); however, in those with asthma, only 67.8% developed AD first. CONCLUSION: Children born to mothers with AD are more prone to develop AD and some develop OAI first, suggesting that not all follow the same sequential pathway.

In utero or early in life exposure to antibiotics and the risk of childhood atopic dermatitis, a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory disease of the skin that begins early in life and can be lifelong. The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether fetal exposure and/or early life exposure of a child to antibiotics increases the risk of early onset AD. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesize that antibiotic exposure in utero or early in life (e.g., first 90 days) increases the likelihood that children develop AD. METHODS: Utilizing a large prospectively collected electronic medical records database, we studied the association of antibiotic exposure received in utero or very early in life and the relative risk of onset of AD in a population-based cohort study. Associations were estimated using proportional hazards models as hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: The risk of AD in childhood was increased after in utero or early life antibiotic exposure. For any in utero AB exposure the HR was 1.38 (1.36,1.39). However, penicillin demonstrated the strongest association with AD for both in utero exposure, 1.43 (1.41,1.44), and for childhood exposure, 1.81(1.79,1.82). HRs were higher in children born to mothers without AD than those with AD pointing to effect modification by maternal AD status. CONCLUSION: Children born to mothers exposed to antibiotics while in utero had, depending on the mother's history of AD, approximately a 20 to 40% increased risk of developing AD. Depending on the antibiotic, children who received antibiotics early-in-life had a 40 to 80% increased risk of developing AD. Our study, supports and refines the association between incident AD and antibiotic administration. It also adds population-based support to therapeutic attempts to treat AD by modifying skin microbiome.

Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis.

Importance: Data on the association between atopic dermatitis (AD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are inconsistent. Few studies have examined the association of AD or AD severity with risk of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn disease (CD) separately. Objectives: To examine the risk of new-onset IBD, UC, and CD in children and adults with AD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study assessed patients with AD matched with up to 5 controls on age, practice, and index date. Treatment exposure was used as a proxy for AD severity. Data were retrieved from The Health Improvement Network, a UK electronic medical record database, for January 1, 1994, to February 28, 2015. Data analysis was performed from January 8, 2020, to June 30, 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Outcomes of interest were incident IBD, UC, and CD. Logistic regression was used to examine the risk for each outcome in children and adults with AD compared with controls. Results: A total of 1 809 029 pediatric controls were matched to 409 431 children with AD (93.2% mild, 5.5% moderate, and 1.3% severe). The pediatric cohort ranged in median age from 4 to 5 years (overall range, 1-10 years), was predominantly male (936 750 [51.8%] controls, 196 996 [51.6%] with mild AD, 11 379 [50.7%] with moderate AD, and 2985 [56.1%] with severe AD), and with similar socioeconomic status. A total of 2 678 888 adult controls were matched to 625 083 adults with AD (65.7% mild, 31.4% moderate, and 2.9% severe). The adult cohort ranged in median age from 45 to 50 years (overall range, 30-68 years) and was predominantly female (1 445 589 [54.0%] controls, 256 071 [62.3%] with mild AD, 109 404 [55.8%] with moderate AD, and 10 736 [59.3%] with severe AD). In fully adjusted models, children with AD had a 44% increased risk of IBD (hazard ratio [HR], 1.44; 95% CI, 1.31-1.58) and a 74% increased risk of CD (HR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.54-1.97), which increased with worsening AD; however, they did not have increased risk of UC (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.94-1.27) except for those with severe AD (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.02-2.67). Adults with AD had a 34% (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.27-1.40) increased risk of IBD, a 36% (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.26-1.47) increased risk of CB, and a 32% (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.24-1.41) increased risk of UC, with risk increasing with worsening AD. Conclusion and Relevance: In this cohort study, children and adults with AD had an increased risk of IBD, with risk varying by age, AD severity, and IBD subtype. These findings provide new insights into the association between AD and IBD. Clinicians should be aware of these risks, particularly when selecting systemic treatments for AD in patients who may have coincident gastrointestinal symptoms.

Baricitinib 2 mg for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in North America: Long-term efficacy and patient-reported outcomes.

To address the need for long-term efficacy and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) data for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) treated with baricitinib 2 mg, a study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of baricitinib 2 mg in adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD. Data presented here provided efficacy and outcomes data for patients treated for 52 weeks. Patients who participated in the originating study, BREEZE-AD5 (NCT03435081), and met additional eligibility criteria could enroll in the multicenter, open-label, Phase 3, long-term extension study BREEZE-AD6 (NCT03559270). Patients received baricitinib 2 mg for the duration of BREEZE-AD6. In BREEZE-AD6, the proportion of patients who achieved a 75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI75) and validated Investigator Global Assessment for AD (vIGA-AD™) of 0 (clear) or 1 (almost clear) were assessed through 52 weeks, in addition to several PROs. At week 52, the proportion of patients treated with baricitinib 2 mg daily achieving EASI75 was 48.6% (70/144), and 31.3% (45/144) of patients achieved a vIGA-AD score of 0 or 1 (clear or almost clear). Improvements in PROs such as SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD, itch and sleep) scores, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) total score, and DLQI ≤5 response were observed, and these responses were sustained through 52 weeks. Long-term efficacy of baricitinib in patients with AD was demonstrated by both clinician and patient-reported outcome measures.

Untapping the potential of utilizing electronic medical records to identify patients with atopic dermatitis: an algorithm using ICD-10 codes.

Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that imposes an enormous personal and economic burden in the United States. Due to the ubiquity of the use of electronic medical records (EMR) in the United States, utilizing such data is critically important to studying common dermatologic diseases, such as AD. Our goal was to create a simple-to-use algorithm applied to EMR data to accurately identify AD patients thereby making it possible to efficiently use EMR data to ascertain and then study individuals with AD. Our results suggest that the algorithm that is most likely to accurately identify AD patients from the EMR based on PPV utilizes ICD-10 code for L20.89, L20.9, or L20.84 in conjunction with a diagnosis code for asthma or allergic rhinitis, treatment code, and dermatology consult code. This approach yields a PPV of 95.00% in our training cohort and 100.00% in our validation cohort. Therefore, future studies can use this algorithm to better assure that a subject has AD for studies of the pathogenesis and/or potential treatment targets of AD.

Epidemiology and Burden of Sleep Disturbances in Atopic Dermatitis in US Adults.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between atopic dermatitis (AD) severity, sleep disturbance (SD), and health-related outcomes is not fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of SD in adult AD and its relationship with AD severity and health outcomes among the US population. METHODS: A cross-sectional, US population-based survey study of 2893 adults was performed. RESULTS: Among adults meeting the UK Diagnostic Criteria for AD, 255 (40.7%) reported 1 or more, 67 (11.1%) reported 3 to 4, and 57 (9.5%) reported 5 to 7 nights of SD in the past week; 475 (79.7%) reported at least some trouble sleeping in the past 3 days. Moderate and severe Patient-Oriented Scoring AD, Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure, and Numeric Rating Scale-itch and Numeric Rating Scale-skin pain scores were associated with more severe SD compared with those without AD. More frequent and severe SDs were associated with higher Dermatology Life Quality Index, lower 12-item Short-Form Health Survey, and higher Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores. Significant mediation by SD severity was observed between Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure and Numeric Rating Scale-itch with Dermatology Life Quality Index, 12-item Short-Form Health Survey physical and mental component scores, HADS-anxiety and HADS-depression scores, diagnosed anxiety, and heart disease. CONCLUSIONS: Atopic dermatitis and AD severity are associated with SDs. Sleep disturbances considerably impact quality of life and other health outcomes in adults with AD.

Misconceptions of photoprotection in skin of color.

Terrestrial sunlight is the portion of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by the sun and reaches Earth's surface. It encompasses 3 major components: UV radiation (290-400 nm), visible light (400-700 nm), and infrared radiation. The deleterious effects of UV radiation have been appreciated for decades, particularly among those with light skin tones (Fitzpatrick skin types I-II) who primarily manifest with burns of varying degrees of severity with sun exposure. In recent years, studies have increasingly shown the negative impact of visible light on skin health, particularly in individuals with skin of color (Fitzpatrick skin types IV-VI), including the exacerbation of hyperpigmentation disorders such as melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, as well as induction of the former. Recommendations from medical societies and the US Food and Drug Administration for photoprotection have been evolving along with the knowledge base. Yet, misconceptions about skin damage related to sunlight and the benefits of photoprotection (particularly among those with Fitzpatrick skin types V-VI) are still prevalent among both clinicians and patients. Among patients with skin of color, disorders of hyperpigmentation and other consequences from sun exposure have been associated with impaired skin health and negative burden on quality of life. This review summarizes currently available evidence of the impact of both UV and visible wavelengths and the low utilization of photoprotection measures among people with skin of color, with the goal of providing recommendations to help educate patients.

Photoprotection for skin of all color: Consensus and clinical guidance from an expert panel.

The negative effects of sun exposure have become better accepted among health care professionals and the lay public over recent decades. Most attention has been focused on the effects of UV light, particularly UVB wavelengths (290-320 nm). Accordingly, products to protect skin from sunlight-associated harm (sunscreens) have been developed to minimize UVB exposure. The effects of longer wavelengths, including UVA (320-400 nm) and visible light (VL, 400-700 nm), are increasingly appreciated. VL accounts for approximately half of the solar radiation that reaches the earth's surface and understanding of its effects on the skin is improving. Studies have shown that VL can induce hyperpigmentation in individuals with dark skin types (Fitzpatrick skin types IV-VI). In addition, VL can contribute to the exacerbation of pigmentary disorders, including melasma. Because these findings are relatively new, there are gaps in understanding the needs for photoprotection and guidance for clinicians. A panel of dermatologists and photobiologists was convened to develop consensus recommendations and clinical guidance about sunscreen use relevant to the current understanding of risks associated with sun exposure using a modified Delphi method.

Frequency and influence of "not relevant" responses on the Dermatology Life Quality Index among adults with atopic dermatitis.

PURPOSE: "Not relevant" responses (NRRs) on the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) are common among adults with psoriasis and may be associated with underestimation of disease burden. Little is known about "not relevant" responses among adults with atopic dermatitis. We aimed to examine the frequency of NRRs on the DLQI and to determine whether NRRs are associated with underestimation of disease burden among adults with atopic dermatitis. METHODS: Adults with atopic dermatitis were identified and evaluated via online survey. We evaluated the frequency of NRRs on the DLQI, stratified by sociodemographic characteristics. To examine the association between NRRs and other measures of disease burden, Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), Patient-Oriented SCORAD (PO-SCORAD), and Short-Form (SF)-12 scores were compared between those who responded "not relevant" versus "not at all". RESULTS: Among 764 adults with atopic dermatitis, most had mild disease. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) POEM, PO-SCORAD, and DLQI scores were 5 (2-10), 24 (14-34), and 2 (1-6), respectively. Most (55.2%) also had at least one NRR, and 17.9% had 4 or more "not relevant" responses, with differences across several sociodemographic characteristics. There were no substantial differences in SF-12, POEM, and PO-SCORAD scores between those who responded "not relevant" versus "not at all". CONCLUSION: NRRs on the DLQI are common among adults with atopic dermatitis and differ across sociodemographic characteristics, suggesting issues with content validity. There is not a clear association between NRRs and other measures of disease severity among adults with mostly mild atopic dermatitis.

Cutaneous Manifestations of Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis.

OBJECTIVE: Cutaneous manifestations of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), including granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), are poorly characterized. This report describes the dermatologic features of AAV and their association with systemic manifestations of vasculitis. METHODS: A cross-sectional study identifying and comparing the cutaneous manifestations of AAV was performed using data from a large, international, collaborative effort in order to collect comprehensive clinical data on patients with vasculitis. RESULTS: Data from 1,184 patients with AAV from 130 centers worldwide were available. Cutaneous manifestations were common in all AAV subtypes: GPA (223 of 656, or 34%), MPA (85 of 302, or 28%), and EGPA (106 of 226, or 47%). The most frequent cutaneous manifestation in AAV (all types) was petechiae/purpura, which was observed in 181 patients (15%). Allergic and nonspecific manifestations, such as pruritus, urticaria, and maculopapular rash, were more common in EGPA than in other disease subtypes (all P < 0.01). Skin biopsy, while underutilized (performed in 22-44% of patients), was frequently found to be an effective test suitable for diagnosis of AAV (diagnostic in 68-94% of patients). Compared to patients without cutaneous manifestations, those with skin lesions more frequently had severe systemic manifestations of vasculitis (such as alveolar hemorrhage and glomerulonephritis), specifically patients with GPA or EGPA and cytoplasmic/anti-proteinase 3 (anti-PR3) ANCA-positive or ANCA-negative patients (hazard ratio >1.9 for all), but not those with MPA or perinuclear/antimyeloperoxidase ANCAs. CONCLUSION: Cutaneous manifestations are common and varied in AAV and are associated with disease severity in patients with GPA, EGPA, cytoplasmic/anti-PR3 ANCA, or ANCA-negative disease. These findings underscore the potential diagnostic and prognostic importance of the cutaneous examination in the evaluation and management of AAV.

Anticipated and Perceived Stigma Among Patients With Psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Perceived stigma among patients with psoriasis (PWP) is associated with poorer quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and predictors of stigmatizing attitudes that PWP expect and experience from others. METHODS: We conducted a survey using validated outcome measures to assess the extent to which PWP anticipate and perceive stigma from others. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained from electronic medical records. RESULTS: Patients (n = 106) were 48.11% female, 70.75% white, and had a mean age ± SD of 47.90 ± 16.19 years old. Of all, 25.47% self-reported their psoriasis as severe. Mean physician global assessment score ± SD was 2.98 ± 1.81. Two-thirds (66.98%) of patients reported that, in response to seeing their psoriasis-affected skin, they anticipated others to stereotype them as "contagious." Linear regression analyses demonstrated that patient-reported severe psoriasis, compared to mild psoriasis, was associated with greater anticipation of negative stereotypes, social avoidance, and perceived stigma from others (P values < .05). Physician-measured body surface area and global assessment scores were not significantly associated with any outcome. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of anticipated and perceived stigma among PWP is high. Our results suggest that objective measures of severity may not identify patients at risk of stigma-related distress. Additional methods, such as directly inquiring about stigmatizing experiences, may be needed.