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ED visits for eczema common, costly

In the United States, ED visits for eczema are common, seem to be rising and contribute to a substantial cost-burden, according to findings presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting.

“Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is associated with acute flares, intractable pruritus and comorbid health conditions, all of which may prompt urgent care visits,” Lauren Kwa, BA, and Jonathan I. Silverberg, MD, PhD, MPH, both from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, wrote. “However, little is known about the urgent care utilization for [eczema] in the U.S.”

Kwa and Silverberg analyzed data from a 20% sample of all of the ED visits nationwide between 2006 and 2012 to establish predictors of ED visits for eczema in the United States.

They found 1,857,689 weighted ED visits with a primary diagnosis of eczema during the study period. Between 2006 and 2012, there was a significant increase in the prevalence of ED visits for eczema.

Patients visiting the ED with a primary diagnosis of eczema were more likely to have Medicaid insurance or no insurance, a lower household-income and a hospital location in a micropolitan area, compared with those visiting the ED without a primary diagnosis of eczema, according to a bivariable survey weighted logistic regression models. From 2006 to 2012, there was a significant rise in the cost of ED visits, increasing from $86,865,154 to $172,761,783.

“There appear to be major health care and socioeconomic disparities associated with ED visits for [eczema],” Kwa and Silverberg concluded. – by Alaina Tedesco

Reference:

Kwa L, Silverberg JI. “Emergency department visits are common and costly in atopic dermatitis in the United States.” Presented at: American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting. February 16-20, 2018; San Diego.

Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.