Patient Burden and Impact of Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis in the Spanish Healthcare System: The APOLO Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory condition associated with a significant physical, psychological, and economic burden. This study aimed to determine the multidimensional impact of AD on patients and the Spanish healthcare system.

Methods: The present multicenter descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at 12 Spanish sites to detect clinical practice assessments and validated patient-reported measures.

Results: A total of 62 patients were included (54.8% males; mean age: 33.1 years). According to the validated Investigator Global Assessment scale for AD, 61.3% and 38.7% of patients had moderate and severe AD, respectively. AD involved a mean of 43.3% body surface area, with patients reporting a median of 4.0 flares in the past year. The mean Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) questionnaire score was 19.8, indicating severe eczema. In addition, 57.1% of patients reported daily pain from scratching or skin inflammation. The mean Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was 14.3, showing a strong AD impact on patients' quality of life, positively correlated with severity, pruritus, and pain. AD also affected work productivity and sleep, with over 50% of patients reporting impairments in daily activities. Treatment patterns showed predominant use of topical corticosteroids (81.5%). Although no patient required hospitalization in the previous year, 25% resorted to alternative therapies/unlicensed products.

Conclusions: AD profoundly impacts patients' quality of life and entails high economic costs. This study emphasizes the need for more effective treatment strategies and an improved understanding of the AD burden to utilize public healthcare resources more efficiently.

Figure 1

Healthcare departments most frequently visited by patients with AD