ATOPIC DERMATITIS, A VERY COMMON INFLAMMATORY SKIN DISEASE #EADV

Current research, presented at 18th congress EADV in Berlin, has shown that atopic dermatitis (atopic eczema), a very common inflammatory skin disease, is linked primarily to a skin barrier defect. These findings are in contrast to the longstanding theory that atopic dermatitis is caused by an immunological dysfunction. Both malfunctions, however, are due to genetic factors, causing the development of a latent disease. Together with various triggers, such as food allergens, climate or distress, they eventually result in the complex medical condition of atopic dermatitis.

The defect in the epidermal barrier allows irritants, microbes and allergens to penetrate the skin and cause adverse reactions like inflammation and itching (pruritus). Proactive treatment, i.e. introducing interventions before patients even start to develop eczema and pruritus, is a new strategy in the management of the disease. About three million people in Germany are affected by atopic dermatitis.