Understanding and managing atopic dermatitis in adult patients.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) in adults is an important dermatologic disease. Even in patients in whom the clinical presentation is mild, the burden of disease can be considerable. Relatively little has been published on adult AD compared to the body of literature devoted to AD in children, although adults with severe AD are greatly affected by the disease. Even when AD is a mild clinical disease in adults, the psychosocial and economic burden of the disease can be profound. Patients are likely to find it useful if these nondermatologic comorbidities of AD are addressed by health care providers in clinical encounters. The treatment options for AD in adults are the same as those for children with AD, with some modifications.
(Published by Elsevier Inc.)