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Patients with atopic dermatitis may have slightly increased lymphoma risk

Patients with atopic dermatitis had a slightly increased risk of lymphoma, with the severity of atopic dermatitis a potentially significant risk factor, according to recently published study results.

Researchers conducted a systematic literature review using the Cochrane, PubMed and Scopus databases to identify articles published between 1980 and Feb. 28, 2014, that investigated lymphoma risk in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Twenty-three of the 3,979 articles identified met study criteria.

Relative risk of lymphoma was compared in a meta-analysis of four cohort studies, from which the researchers calculated a relative risk of 1.43. The meta-analysis also included 18 case control studies that found no significant lymphoma increase, with an odds ratio of 1.18. Influence of AD severity on the risk of lymphoma was measured in three studies, which found a significant association between lymphoma and severity of AD, according to the researchers.

Seven studies evaluated the risk of lymphoma in patients treated with topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs) and topical corticosteroids (TCSs), with the meta-analysis demonstrating an association between the highly potent topical steroids and an increased lymphoma risk. One study on TCIs demonstrated a significant association between tacrolimus and mostly skin lymphoma, according to the researchers.

The researchers warned that confusion and misdiagnosis of T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) as AD might have partially resulted in the findings of increased risk of lymphoma in patients with AD.

Although severity of AD appeared to be a risk factor for lymphoma, TCs and TCIs did not appear to add significant contribution to overall risk. – by Bruce Thiel

Disclosures: Legendre reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.