Increased Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease in Atopic Dermatitis: A Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Analysis

The association between atopic dermatitis (AD) and the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been a subject of scientific discussion with limited comprehensive data. A nationwide longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the correlation between AD and the risk of CKD. Utilizing Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, a total of 15 179 individuals with AD (the exposed cohort) were identified and compared with 60 716 age and sex-matched individuals without AD (the comparison cohort) during the period from years 2000 to 2008. Follow-up time was recorded since the date of entry into the cohort until the occurrence of CKD, death, or the end of the study on December 31, 2013, whichever occurred first. Odds ratios (ORs) and accompanying 95% confidence intervals (CIs) derived from the logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between AD and CKD risk. Compared with the non-AD comparison cohort, patients with AD had elevated risk of CKD after adjustment for potential confounders (adjusted OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.21-1.40). A association between AD and increased risk of CKD was evident in both men and women and in all age groups. Furthermore, a trend with a increase in ORs with increasing frequency of clinical visits for AD was noted (p = 0.002). This population-based cohort study demonstrated that AD is related to a heightened risk of CKD within an Asian population. The clinical implications of the present study merit further investigations.