![Sample our Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Allied Health journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5944/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Medicine-Dentistry-Nursing-Allied-Health.jpg"})
Abstract
Objective
To determine the epidemiology and characterize the treatment prescribed for severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in children/adults in usual clinical practice.
Methods
Observational, retrospective study made through review of medical records of Spanish patients aged ≥6 years. Patients diagnosed with severe AD who required care between 2013 and 2017 were included. The study groups were: 6–12 years; 13–18 years; and > 18 years. Patients were followed for 5 years. The main measurements were the prevalence of AD, comorbidity and treatment duration. Statistical significance was established as p <0.05.
Results
We included 2323 patients with severe AD. The overall prevalence was 0.10% (95% CI: 0.09–0.11%) and was 0.39%, 0.23% and 0.07% in the 6–12 years, 13–18 years and >18 years age groups, respectively (p <0.001), the percentage of males was 58%, 48.6% and 39%, respectively, and general comorbidity was 0.1, 0.2 and 0.9 points, respectively (p <0.001).The most frequent comorbidities were asthma in 49.0%, 44.9% and 20.8%, respectively (p <0.001), and anxiety in 79.7%, 65.8% and 67.3%, respectively (p <0.001). Oral corticosteroids were administered in 97.3%, 90.9% and 81.7%, respectively (concomitant-medication). Cyclosporine (45.3%), azathioprine (15.9%) and methotrexate (9.0%) were the most frequently prescribed drugs; biologic agents were administered in 5.8% of patients (for AD).
Conclusion
In AD the presence of comorbidities was significant, especially in the psychological, immunoallergic and cardiovascular areas. Cyclosporine was the most widely used immunosuppressant. There was a degree of variability in the use and duration of the treatments prescribed.
Author contributions
All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Disclosure
The abstract of this paper was presented at the Conference: International Society for Pharmaco-economics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). May 18-22, 2019 | New Orleans, LA, USA. as a poster presentation talk with interim findings. The poster’s abstract (PNS73): was published in “Poster Abstracts” in: Value in Health. 2019; 2 (Supplement 2):S298. Hyperlink with DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval. 2019.04.1432. The study was sponsored by Sanofi A Sicras to Antoni Sicras-Mainar. The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.