Atopic Dermatitis Impairs Quality of Life in Children

As a chronic skin disease, atopic dermatitis (AD) often leads to inflammation, pruritus, and sleep disturbances in children. A study by Asha Babu and colleagues evaluated how AD affects the quality of life (QoL) in children, identified factors influencing QoL, and examined the domains most affected.

A total of 70 children up to 16 years of age diagnosed with AD by Hanifin and Rajka's criteria were enrolled. Severity assessment was carried out with the severity scoring of atopic dermatitis index. QoL was assessed with questionnaires like the infant's dermatitis quality of life index for kids aged less than 4 years and the children's dermatology life quality index for those aged 4 years and above.

The mean QoL score was 6.7±5.05, significantly greater impairment in children with severe disease. The most affected domains were pruritus, sleep disturbance, mood changes, and treatment-related issues. Longer disease duration and atopic comorbidities correlated with worse QoL, while age, gender, and socioeconomic status did not.

This study emphasizes the considerable impact of AD on children's QoL, highlighting the need for comprehensive management strategies.

Reference:

Babu A, Thomas N, Zacharias R, Francis JV, Patel D. Atopic dermatitis in children: a cross-sectional study of its impact on quality of life.

https://www.ijpediatrics.com/index.php/ijcp/article/view/5938/3629