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Atopic dermatitis associated with slight increase in all-cause mortality

Patients with atopic dermatitis had a slight increase in all-cause mortality compared with matched controls without atopic dermatitis, according to recent findings.

The researchers evaluated factors surrounding cause-specific mortality in a cohort of 8,686 patients with atopic dermatitis and 86,860 controls.

The study included data from nationwide health and death registries in the U.S. Incidence rates of mortality per 1,000 person-years underwent analysis.

All-cause mortality risk was significantly elevated in the atopic dermatitis group (HR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.11-1.45). Mortality incidence rates were 1.15 per 1,000 person-years in the atopic dermatitis group and 0.8 per 1,000 person-years in the control group.

Cardiovascular mortality was particularly elevated (HR = 1.45; 95% CI 1.07-1.96), as was death from infectious causes (HR = 3.71; 95% CI, 1.43-9.6) and urogenital diseases (HR = 5.51; 95% CI, 1.54-19.8).

There were no increases in cancer-associated mortality or mortality associated with endocrine, neurological, psychiatric, respiratory or gastroenterological diseases, according to the findings.

“Adults with atopic dermatitis had slightly increased risk of death during follow-up,” the researchers concluded. “While the risk of death from cardiovascular, urogenital, and infectious diseases was slightly elevated among patients with atopic dermatitis, the absolute risk was very low.” – by Rob Volansky

Disclosure: Thyssen reports associations with Genzyme, Leo Pharma, Roche and Sanofi-Aventis. Please see the study for the full list of author disclosures.