Abstract
Background
Both atopic dermatitis and celiac disease are often accompanied by other immune-mediated disorders.
Objective
The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential association between atopic dermatitis and celiac disease in a broad community-based population.
Methods
A cross-sectional observational design was used. Demographic and clinical data were collected for patients enrolled in a large health management organization who were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis by a dermatologist in 2002–17. The presence of celiac disease/celiac disease-related morbidities was recorded for the whole group, for adults (age > 18 years), and for adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Findings were compared with a matched control group without atopic dermatitis.
Results
The study group included 116,816 patients of whom 45,157 were adults; 1909 adult patients had moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Compared to the respective control subjects, the prevalence rate of celiac disease in the whole group was 0.6% vs. 0.4%; in the adults, 0.6% vs. 0.3%; and in the adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, 0.8% vs. 0.3% (p < 0.001 for all). On multivariate analysis, atopic dermatitis was associated with a significantly higher prevalence of celiac disease (odds ratio = 1.609, 95% confidence interval 1.42–1.82, p < 0.001) in the entire study population and each subgroup.
Conclusions
We observed a significant association between atopic dermatitis and celiac disease. This association emphasizes the need for timely screening of gastrointestinal morbidities in individuals with atopic dermatitis to prevent long-term complications.
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No funding was received for the conduct of this study or the preparation of this article.
Conflict of interest
Guy Shalom, Khalaf Kridin, Keren-Or Raviv, Tamar Freud, Doron Comaneshter, Rivka Friedland, Arnon D. Cohen, and Dan Ben-Amitai have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this article.
Ethical approval
The present study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and all appropriate amendments. The study was approved by the Ethics Review Committee of Clalit Health Services.
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Shalom, G., Kridin, K., Raviv, KO. et al. Atopic Dermatitis and Celiac Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study of 116,816 Patients. Am J Clin Dermatol 21, 133–138 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-019-00474-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-019-00474-2