Atopic dermatitis in infants and children in India

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing eczematous skin disease characterized by pruritus and inflammation and accompanied by cutaneous physiological dysfunction, with a majority of the patients having a personal or family history of "atopic diathesis." The term "atopic diathesis" refers to the presence of allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma or AD. The universal occurrence of AD is no longer debated. However, published material about its natural history, etiopathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical patterns and management leave a lot to be known in the Indian scenario. In the present write-up, we will try to explore the wealth of knowledge about the disease available in our country and try to unfurl the complex interplay of different factors that are implicated for the development of this condition. The diagnosis of AD is based on a constellation of signs and symptoms. There is no laboratory "gold standard" for the diagnosis of AD. In a majority of the cases, the diagnosis is quite easy. Topical corticosteroids form the mainstay of topical treatment and, along with emollient, are able to control the condition in more than 80% of the cases. However, as use of long-term topical corticosteroid has the potential to produce local and systemic adverse effects, topical tacrolimus has come up as a useful molecule for the long-term control of the disease.