Psychophysiological reactivity under mental stress in atopic dermatitis

An association of mental stress with atopic dermatitis is widely accepted. However, no long-term evaluation of psychophysiological reactivity over the course of disease has yet been performed.

We examined whether atopic dermatitis patients have an increased psychophysiological reactivity compared to healthy controls and in between acute and disease-free phases, and whether they differ in psychological state and trait variables.

Fifteen patients with atopic dermatitis underwent a stress test during acute exacerbation and after symptom improvement and were compared to matched controls.

Psychophysiological responses to stress were not stronger in the patient group than in the controls. Nevertheless, the patients had a higher heart rate and lower vagal activity throughout the resting and stress phases at both examination times. The patients showed significantly higher anxiety, depression and emotional excitability, and self-ratings of inactivity clearly distinguished acute phases from remission.

There is an increased vegetative excitability level in patients with atopic dermatitis, which cannot be attributed solely to increased disease activity.