Most Patients Not Satisfied With Atopic Dermatitis Treatment, Study Finds

Three out of four patients with atopic dermatitis are unsatisfied with their treatment, according to a study published in Acta Dermato-Venereologica.

“This number increased in those with more severe symptoms,” wrote corresponding author Matthias Augustin, MD, PhD, of University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany, and coauthors. “This study found that the needs of patients with atopic dermatitis are not being met by current treatments.”

The real-world study included nearly 2000 adults with confirmed moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis from 10 countries. Participants described their current and previous treatment, and benefits from those treatments, in a web-based survey.

Body surface area (BSA) involvement was less than 10% for 86.6% of participants, according to the study. Almost 70% of respondents used topical therapies, 28.1% used systemic therapies, and 2.3% used biologic therapies. In 73.4% of patients, even those with 10% or more BSA involvement, topical monotherapies were used to manage flares.

“The dominance of topical monotherapy for treatment even in patients with BSA ≥ 10% does not align with current guidelines for systemic therapy in moderate/severe atopic dermatitis,” researchers wrote.

Some 75% of patient said their treatment expectations were not met or only partially met. Patients with 10% or more BSA involvement reported even lower satisfaction with treatment, the study found.

“There is a need to consider treatment options beyond topicals,” researchers wrote, “recognizing that there is undertreatment with systemic options and missed opportunities to prevent disease progression.”

The study was funded by Eli Lilly and Company.

Reference:
Augustin M, Costanzo A, Pink A, et al. Real-world treatment patterns and treatment benefits among adult patients with atopic dermatitis: results from the Atopic Dermatitis Patient Satisfaction and Unmet Need survey. Acta Derm Venereol. 2022;102:adv00830. doi:10.2340/actadv.v102.3932