Treatment Resistant Atopic Dermatitis: When Steroids Do Not Cut the Itch

Authors

Karen M. Timbrook-Dillow DMSc-Fellow, MMS, PA-C, University of LynchburgFollow

Specialty

Dermatology

Advisor

Laura Witte

Abstract

Purpose: This article aims to review the etiology of atopic dermatitis and the biologics class of medication used to treat and improve the quality of life among atopic dermatitis sufferers.

Method: A PubMed literature search was performed using the search term atopic dermatitis and the Boolean operator "and." These terms were associated with prevalence, immune system, Dupixent, biologics, burden and value, side effects, and quality of life in the atopic patient. Dupixent was the only novel agent approved for atopic dermatitis at the inception of this search. Since then, the search was expanded to include the newest novel agents: tralokinumab, upadacitinib, abroitnib, and JAK-1 inhibitors. The search produced several thousand articles that were narrowed down to relevant topic discussion as follows: prevalence of atopic dermatitis yielded three articles; atopic dermatitis and immune system yielded five articles; burden of atopic dermatitis yielded seven articles; atopic dermatitis and treatments yielded many articles, which was narrowed down to 12 articles to focus the search on novel therapies; atopic dermatitis and Dupixent search delivered nine articles; Dupixent and side effects yielded one article; and economic value of Dupixent yielded one article. Additional novel agents became available while writing this article; tralokinumab, upadacitinib, and abroitnib yielded three additional articles. Atopic Dermatitis and pathophysiology search terms yielded ten articles. Novel atopic dermatitis drugs and cost savings copay cards were search terms and yielded four articles. A total of 51 articles were reviewed.

Results: Thirty-two articles and four resources were used as the basis of this article.

Conclusion: Novel agents, such as dupilumab, tralokinumab, upadacitinib, and abrocitnib, have emerged on the market as being one of the best agents to treat moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. These medications improve the quality of life in patients who have atopic dermatitis. Prescribing novel agents to the atopic dermatitis patient reduces the economic and social burden by lowering anxiety and atopic flares that cause an increase in sick days, resulting in medical visits. Although these medications are expensive, many pharmaceutical companies provide coupon discounts; therefore, they should be considered first-line treatment for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, which will reduce the patient's health care burden and improve the patient's quality of life.

Recommended Citation

Timbrook-Dillow KM. Treatment Resistant Atopic Dermatitis: When Steroids Do Not Cut the Itch. University of Lynchburg DMSc Doctoral Project Assignment Repository. 2022; 4(3).