Cutaneous Pain in Atopic Dermatitis: Mental Health Burden.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Psychiatry
• Pain Medicine

Background:

• Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition.
• Cutaneous pain is a common comorbidity in AD patients.
• The impact of pain on psychological well-being in AD is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between cutaneous pain and the prevalence of anxiety, depression, quality of life (QoL), and stigmatization in adults with AD.
• To evaluate the impact of pain intensity on psychosocial outcomes in AD patients.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 113 adult AD patients.
• Eczema severity assessed using the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI).
• Pain measured via Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
• Psychosocial burden evaluated using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), GAD-7, PHQ-9, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and 6-Item Stigmatization Scale (6-ISS).

Main Results:

• Adults with AD experiencing cutaneous pain reported significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, impaired QoL, and stigmatization.
• Patients with pain showed higher scores on HADS, GAD-7, PHQ-9, DLQI, and 6-ISS compared to pain-free individuals.
• Significant correlations were found between pain assessment tools and psychometric assessments.

Conclusions:

• Cutaneous pain is a significant factor contributing to increased anxiety, depression, stigmatization, and reduced QoL in adults with AD.
• Pain management should be considered an integral part of comprehensive AD care.
• Addressing cutaneous pain can potentially alleviate the overall disease burden in AD patients.