Vitiligo, alopecia areata may up atopic dermatitis risk

(HealthDay)—The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) is higher among patients with vitiligo or alopecia areata (AA), according to research published online Dec. 3 in JAMA Dermatology.

Girish C. Mohan, M.D., and Jonathan I. Silverberg, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, conducted a systematic review of the literature and performed a meta-analysis of data from 33 observational studies. The authors sought to assess the prevalence of AD among patients with and without either vitiligo or AA.

The researchers found that pooled analysis showed significantly increased risk of AD in patients with vitiligo (odds ratio [OR], 7.82; P < 0.001) or AA (OR, 2.57; P < 0.001). Pooled analysis of data from three studies showed greater risk of AD among patients with early-onset vitiligo (less than 12 years) rather than late-onset vitiligo (OR, 3.54; P < 0.001). Pooled analysis of data from four studies showed greater risk of AD among patients with alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis rather than patchy alopecia (OR, 1.22; P = 0.04).

"Patients with either vitiligo, especially early-onset disease, or AA, especially alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis, have significantly increased risk for AD," the authors write.