Transcript
Announcer:
This is DermConsult on ReachMD. On this episode, Dr. Lawrence Eichenfield will share key considerations around comorbidities in pediatric atopic dermatitis. He’s is a Distinguished Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine as well as Chief of Pediatric and Adolescent Dermatology at Rady Children's Hospital San Diego. Let’s hear from him now.
Dr. Eichenfield:
So first of all, there's what I call the traditional atopic comorbidities. They're the highest ones. So food allergy is going to be important. If you have a patient with eczema, it's good not to ignore the food allergies because the patients are so tied into that, thinking that they may be specific triggers, and sometimes they are. So a holistic approach is ask about food allergy or food reactions. You can help counsel families about the difference between a true food allergy and what might be an intolerance.
Asthma, and though less common, eosinophilic esophagitis, makes sense to be aware of. There are other conditions, especially with older children, adolescents, and adults—anxiety and depression is something to really be aware of, and in a more severe disease, that's important.
Then there's two particular things that you'd get if you see them. One is urticaria, which clearly is associated with atopic dermatitis, and the other is alopecia areata, which is sort of an independent condition but one of those autoimmune conditions that can travel with it. And I think understanding the comorbidities gives a holistic approach, but it also might impact on your avenues for treatment.
So for right now, if you're considering a systemic treatment for severe atopic dermatitis in a child, whether they have asthma or don't have asthma might make a difference in your selection of medication because one of the medicines is approved for asthma as well as atopic dermatitis.
Announcer:
That was Dr. Lawrence Eichenfield discussing comorbidities in pediatric atopic dermatitis. To access this and other episodes in this series, visit DermConsult on ReachMD.com, where you can Be Part of the Knowledge. Thanks for listening!
