Cause-specific mortality in adults with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND

Adult atopic dermatitis (AD) has been associated with several comorbidities, but cause-specific mortality risk is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To examine cause-specific death rates and risk in adults with AD.

METHODS

We performed cross-linkage of nationwide health care and cause of death registers. Adult patients with AD were matched with 10 controls per study subject. We calculated incidence rates per 1000 person-years and hazard ratios (HRs) of cause-specific death with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) using Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

A total of 8686 patients and 86,860 matched controls were studied. The risk for death due to any cause was significantly increased in patients with AD (HR 1.27, 95%CI 1.11-1.45). Significant causes included cardiovascular (HR 1.45; 95% CI 1.07-1.96), infectious (HR 3.71; 95% CI 1.43-9.60), and urogenital diseases (HR 5.51; 95% CI 1.54-19.80). No increased risk for death due to cancer, endocrine, neurologic, psychiatric, respiratory, or gastroenterologic disease was observed.

LIMITATIONS

The results might not be generalizable to patients seen exclusively by primary care physicians.

CONCLUSION

Adults with atopic dermatitis had slightly increased risk for death during follow-up. While the risk for death from cardiovascular, urogenital, and infectious diseases was slightly elevated among patients with AD, the absolute risk was very low.