Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Sep 12;14(Suppl 2):52.
doi: 10.1186/s13223-018-0281-6. eCollection 2018.

Atopic dermatitis

Sandeep Kapur  1 , Wade Watson  1 , Stuart Carr  2
Affiliations
Review

Atopic dermatitis

Sandeep Kapur et al. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. .

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic skin disorder that can significantly impact the quality of life of affected individuals as well as their families. Although the pathogenesis of the disorder is not completely understood, it appears to result from the complex interplay between defects in skin barrier function, environmental and infectious agents, and immune dysregulation. There are no diagnostic tests for AD; therefore, the diagnosis is based on specific clinical criteria that take into account the patient's history and clinical manifestations. Successful management of the disorder requires a multifaceted approach that involves education, optimal skin care practices, anti-inflammatory treatment with topical corticosteroids and/or topical calcineurin inhibitors, the management of pruritus, and the treatment of skin infections. Systemic immunosuppressive agents may also be used, but are generally reserved for severe flare-ups or more difficult-to-control disease. Topical corticosteroids are the first-line pharmacologic treatments for AD, and evidence suggests that these agents may also be beneficial for the prophylaxis of disease flare-ups. Although the prognosis for patients with AD is generally favourable, those patients with severe, widespread disease and concomitant atopic conditions, such as asthma and allergic rhinitis, are likely to experience poorer outcomes.

Keywords: Atopic dermatitis; Diagnosis and management; Emollients; Skin care practices; Topical calcineurin inhibitors; Topical corticosteroids.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
AD of the flexural surfaces of the extremities
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
AD of the hands (a) and feet (b)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A simplified, stepwise algorithm for the treatment of AD
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Krakowski AC, Eichenfield LF, Dohil MA. Management of atopic dermatitis in the pediatric population. Pediatrics. 2008;122:812–824. doi: 10.1542/peds.2007-2232. - DOI - PubMed
    1. McKenna SP, Doward LC. Quality of life of children with atopic dermatitis and their families. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008;8:228–231. doi: 10.1097/ACI.0b013e3282ffd6cc. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Barbeau M, Bpharm HL. Burden of atopic dermatitis in Canada. Int J Dermatol. 2006;45(1):31–36. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.02345.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Egawa G, Kabashima K. Multifactorial skin barrier deficiency and atopic dermatitis: essential topics to prevent the atopic march. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016;138(2):350–358. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.06.002. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Nomura T, Kabashima K. Advances in atopic dermatitis in 2015. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016;138(6):1548–1555. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.10.004. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources