Increasing Prevalence of Eczema Correlates with Severity of Alopecia Areata

Recent research published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology highlights a significant association between the severity of alopecia areata (AA) and the prevalence and incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD), commonly known as eczema. The study, led by Dr. Christopher G. Bunick and team from Yale School of Medicine, analyzed data from the Merative MarketScan Research Databases involving patients aged 12 and older diagnosed with AA. The findings indicate that patients with more severe forms of AA tend to have higher rates of AD. Specifically, the prevalence of AD among AA patients was found to be 3.2% at baseline, with a notably higher prevalence of 7.6% among adolescents. Furthermore, the risk of developing AD increased with the severity of AA—those with moderate to severe AA had a 78% higher chance of being diagnosed with eczema than those with mild AA. These patterns persisted across all age groups, and patients diagnosed by dermatologists also showed higher rates of comorbid AD. The authors suggest that routine monitoring for eczema in patients with severe AA could facilitate earlier interventions, potentially improving patient outcomes. Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including funding from AbbVie. Overall, the study emphasizes the need for heightened awareness of dermatologic comorbidities in patients suffering from alopecia areata, particularly those with severe disease manifestations.