33552 Prevalence and severity of atopic dermatitis and hand eczema, and associated lifestyle factors in the Dutch general population

Abstract

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) and hand eczema (HE) lead to a considerable public health burden, especially among patients with moderate to severe disease. A large epidemiologic study has not been conducted in the Netherlands yet. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted within the Lifelines Cohort Study by sending a digital questionnaire to 135,950 adults in 2020. Lifestyle factors were extracted from baseline assessment, performed between 2006 and 2013. The association between AD, HE, and lifestyle factors, were analyzed using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression and linear regression models. Results: 57,798 subjects (42.5%) were included. The lifetime prevalence of AD was 9.3%, and the point prevalence of moderate to severe AD was 2.4%. The lifetime prevalence of HE was 15.0%, and the 1-year prevalence was 7.3%, with a proportion of severe to very severe HE at worst ever of 1.9%. Moderate to severe AD was associated with increased smoking pack years, >2 alcoholic drinks per day, chronic stress, and obesity. In addition, smoking amount and pack years, chronic stress, and obesity showed a positive association with HE in the past year. Conclusion: Moderate to severe disease represents a considerable proportion of patients with AD and HE. The current study also indicates that particular lifestyle factors are associated with AD and HE. Advice regarding lifestyle factors might contribute to improving overall health, of which AD and HE might possibly benefit in conjunction. Further longitudinal studies are required to better characterize the direction of these associations, and develop strategies for prevention.