Atopic Dermatitis: Topic Update

Abstract

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis is a disease that occurs most frequently during infancy and early childhood, it is distributed worldwide, with very high prevalence in developed countries, which is why it has become a priority for public health. In Cuba, in recent years, the number of pediatric cases diagnosed with this disease has increased.
Objective: To update the main clinical and epidemiological characteristics of psoriasis with emphasis on therapeutic management.

Methods: A bibliographic review about atopic dermatitis was carried out, for which Infomed Viirtual Library and Google academic were considered as search sources. A total of 61 scientific papers and published articles were reviewed, and 45 of them were referenced, those that were most up-to-date in relation to the topic.

Results: Atopic dermatitis reached a prevalence between 20% and 30%. This has been increasing in recent decades. The typical clinical manifestarions of atopic dermatitis are divided into three stages, which are often called infant, child, and adult. Approximately 80% have sleep disorders and 60% report alteration of their daily activities.

Conclusions: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin disease, characterized by dry, pruritic skin, erythematous plaques, scabs, lichenification, and hyperpigmentation. The diagnosis is made through the clinical method. Treatment must be personalized for each patient. There is currently no definitive curative therapy for this condition.