Prescriptions for atopic dermatitis: oral corticosteroids remain commonplace

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pharmacology
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent, chronic inflammatory skin condition.
• Characterized by intense itching and distinct skin lesions like patches and plaques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze medication prescribing patterns for atopic dermatitis (AD).
• To identify common treatments and patient demographics associated with specific prescriptions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Humana database, a large commercial healthcare claims database.
• Analyzed data from 39,526 patients diagnosed with atopic dermatitis (ICD-9: 691.8) between 2010-2015.
• Stratified patients by gender, age, and race, and sorted medication lists for AD indications.

Main Results:

• Topical corticosteroids were most common (60.2%), followed by oral antibiotics (17.3%) and antifungals (6.7%).
• Oral corticosteroids were prescribed to 5.9% of patients, with higher rates in males aged 20-59.
• Calcineurin inhibitors (2.3%) and emollients (1.2%) were less frequently prescribed.

Conclusions:

• Frequent oral corticosteroid use suggests severe, treatment-resistant atopic dermatitis.
• Due to side effects, steroid-sparing systemic agents are recommended for long-term management of severe AD.