Epidemiological Profile and Associated Allergic Conditions of Atopic Dermatitis: Data from a Referral Service in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Background: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, inflammatory, and pruritic dermatosis of high prevalence, especially in childhood. a relevant public health issue. Atopic dermatitis is associated with several factors, including genetic, psychological, infectious, food, and environmental, and may be associated with other manifestations of atopy, such as asthma and rhinitis. Objective: To determine the epidemiological profile and the prevalence of personal and family history of allergy in children with atopic dermatitis at a referral service, comparing it to existing literature. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional and descriptive hospital-based study involving children of both genders under 18 years with clinical diagnosis of atopic dermatitis (Hanifin and Rajka criteria) seen at the Pediatric Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of Hospital Municipal Universitário de Taubaté (HMUT), SP-Brazil, from October 2018 to April 2019. Epidemiological data and data related to personal and family history of allergies were collected from the medical records. Microsoft Excel 2019 was used for compilation and data analysis. Results: Of the 440 consultations in that period, 35 (7.9%) were for atopic dermatitis, of which 23 of them were females (65.7%) and 15 were phototype IV (42.9%); their mean age was 7.7 (standard deviation = 4.3), and the duration of disease ranged from 2 months to 14 years (mean 5.3 years; standard deviation = 4.3). Among the 35 patients, 31 (88.6%) manifested the condition by the fifth year of life. Personal history of allergies was observed in 27 individuals (77.1%), with a predominance of allergic rhinitis and in older age groups. Conclusion: This study, as a pioneer in the region, contributes to the epidemiological profile of patients with atopic dermatitis from the Pediatric Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of HMUT, revealing an early onset and a higher prevalence in females and individuals with higher phototypes. In addition, this study also demonstrated the prevalence of personal and family history of allergies in these patients, consistent with literature.