Atopic dermatitis: addressing allergy, infection, itch and complementary therapies

Jusleen Ahluwalia; Dawn Marie Davis; Sharon Jacob; Andrea Waldman; Peter Y Ong; Stuart Cohen; Adam Friedman; Peter Lio; Nathan Jetter; Jeffrey Bienstock; Jennifer LeBovidge; Jonathan Spergel; Luz Fonacier

doi:10.12788/j.sder.2017.038

Atopic dermatitis: addressing allergy, infection, itch and complementary therapies

Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2017 Sep;36(3):112-117. doi: 10.12788/j.sder.2017.038.

Authors

Jusleen Ahluwalia^{1

2}, Dawn Marie Davis³, Sharon Jacob⁴, Andrea Waldman^{1

2}, Peter Y Ong⁵, Stuart Cohen⁶, Adam Friedman⁷, Peter Lio⁸, Nathan Jetter⁹, Jeffrey Bienstock¹⁰, Jennifer LeBovidge¹¹, Jonathan Spergel¹², Luz Fonacier¹³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Dermatology, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA.
² Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA.
³ Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, USA.
⁵ Department of Allergy & Immunology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
⁶ Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California, USA.
⁷ Department of Dermatology, George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
⁸ Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago Integrative Eczema Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
⁹ Patient Advocate, The National Eczema Association, San Rafael, California, USA.
¹⁰ PediatriCare Associates, Fairlawn, New Jersey, USA.
¹¹ Allergy Program, Division of Immunology, Boston Children 's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
¹² Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
¹³ Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY; Allergy & Immunology Training Program, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York, USA. [email protected].

PMID: 28895957
DOI: 10.12788/j.sder.2017.038

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complex condition that results from the dynamic interplay between genetic predisposition, skin barrier defects, environmental factors, and a dysfunctional immune system. As a result, AD can be complicated by irritant and allergic contact dermatitis and imbalances in the skin microbiome, which can subsequently exacerbate the severity and complicate the course of preexisting atopic disease. Itch is an important symptom of AD, as it plays a large role in the quality of life of patients and their families. Since AD is a chronic, inflammatory disease that recrudesces throughout life, many have utilized alternative and/or complementary therapies, as monotherapy or in conjunction with conventional therapies, as a form of management.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Complementary Therapies*
Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / complications*
Dermatitis, Atopic / complications*
Dermatitis, Atopic / therapy*
Food Hypersensitivity / complications*
Humans
Microbiota
Pruritus / etiology*
Pruritus / therapy
Quality of Life
Skin / microbiology
Skin Diseases, Infectious / complications*