Novel agents for atopic dermatitis in patients over 50 years of age: A case series

Lan et al recently highlighted the under-representation of older adults in clinical trials of systemic therapies for atopic dermatitis (AD). Late-onset AD is increasingly recognized in older adults. Spontaneous remission is uncommon with this phenotype. Existing drug treatments such as corticosteroids, methotrexate, ciclosporin, and azathioprine are complicated by adverse effects including increased malignancy risk, immunosuppression in the context of immunosenescence, and drug interactions in the setting of polypharmacy. A case series is presented of seven patients over 50 years of age with AD who were prescribed dupilumab or tofacitinib or upadacitinib for at least 6 months. All patients were clear or almost clear (investigator global assessment score 0/1) after 1 month of therapy. No significant adverse events were seen. This case series provides preliminary evidence about the safety and efficacy of these novel drugs for AD in older adults. Further studies with higher numbers of participants are needed to obtain real-world evidence for these drugs in older adults, given the limited data in clinical trials.