TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterization of patients with atopic dermatitis based on flare patterns and severity of disease

T2 - A Danish population-based study

AU - Nielsen, Mia-Louise

AU - Nymand, Lea K.

AU - Domenech Pena, Arnau

AU - Du Jardin, Kristian G.

AU - Kasujee, Ismail

AU - Thomsen, Simon F.

AU - Egeberg, Alexander

AU - Thein, David

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Background: Flare patterns are not routinely considered in the severity classification or in clinical decision-making of atopic dermatitis (AD), but frequent or severe flares may contribute considerably to the disease burden. Objectives: To characterize patients with AD in relation to their flare pattern and compare flare patterns to disease severity, life quality and treatment satisfaction. Methods: Patients with AD from the Danish Skin Cohort were included if they had active AD with and available data on number of flare-ups within the last 12 months. Categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages, whereas numerical variables were presented as median and interquartile ranges (IQR). Between-group differences were tested with chi-squared tests. Results: A total of 1557 patients were included, with 57 reporting 0 flares, 698 (1–5 flares), 324 (6–10 flares) and 478 reporting >10 flares during the past 12 months. Both the severity measured by PO-SCORAD and the impairment of life quality measured by DLQI were higher among patients with more flares (median [IQR] PO-SCORAD: 13.0 [5.6–22.3], 29.7 [20.8–40.6], 36.3 [26.7–47.6]and 42.9 [30.7–55.6], respectively for the four flares strata, and median [IQR] DLQI: 1.0 [0.0–2.0], 3.0 [1.0–7.0], 4.0 [1.8–9.0] and 7.0 [3.0–11.0]). Satisfaction with the current treatment was generally higher among patients with no flares. However, 36.8%, 24.6% and 23.7% of patients with 1–5, 6–10 and >10 flares reported being extremely or very satisfied with their current treatment. Conclusions: Patients with many flares often report a higher severity and impairment of life quality compared to patients with fewer flares. Information on flaring could benefit treatment decisions, thereby decreasing undertreatment of patients with mild AD but severe flaring.

AB - Background: Flare patterns are not routinely considered in the severity classification or in clinical decision-making of atopic dermatitis (AD), but frequent or severe flares may contribute considerably to the disease burden. Objectives: To characterize patients with AD in relation to their flare pattern and compare flare patterns to disease severity, life quality and treatment satisfaction. Methods: Patients with AD from the Danish Skin Cohort were included if they had active AD with and available data on number of flare-ups within the last 12 months. Categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages, whereas numerical variables were presented as median and interquartile ranges (IQR). Between-group differences were tested with chi-squared tests. Results: A total of 1557 patients were included, with 57 reporting 0 flares, 698 (1–5 flares), 324 (6–10 flares) and 478 reporting >10 flares during the past 12 months. Both the severity measured by PO-SCORAD and the impairment of life quality measured by DLQI were higher among patients with more flares (median [IQR] PO-SCORAD: 13.0 [5.6–22.3], 29.7 [20.8–40.6], 36.3 [26.7–47.6]and 42.9 [30.7–55.6], respectively for the four flares strata, and median [IQR] DLQI: 1.0 [0.0–2.0], 3.0 [1.0–7.0], 4.0 [1.8–9.0] and 7.0 [3.0–11.0]). Satisfaction with the current treatment was generally higher among patients with no flares. However, 36.8%, 24.6% and 23.7% of patients with 1–5, 6–10 and >10 flares reported being extremely or very satisfied with their current treatment. Conclusions: Patients with many flares often report a higher severity and impairment of life quality compared to patients with fewer flares. Information on flaring could benefit treatment decisions, thereby decreasing undertreatment of patients with mild AD but severe flaring.

U2 - 10.1111/jdv.20160

DO - 10.1111/jdv.20160

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38813970

AN - SCOPUS:85194830862

JO - Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology

JF - Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology

SN - 0926-9959

ER -