Summary Background Childhood atopic dermatitis can often have a negative impact on quality of life for affected children and their caregivers. The condition contributes to increased healthcare costs and can pose heavy economic burdens on healthcare systems and societies. Objectives The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive estimate of the economic burden of childhood atopic dermatitis in a Singaporean sample and to investigate associated factors. Methods This cross‐sectional cost‐of‐illness study applied a societal perspective. Data was collected between December 2016 and December 2017 in Singapore. Caregivers to children below 16 years of age with a physician‐confirmed diagnosis of atopic dermatitis were recruited and sociodemographics, clinical characteristics, health service utilization data and time spent on caregiving were collected from all eligible participants. Results The average annual cost per child with atopic dermatitis was estimated at U.S. dollars (USD) 7943 (mild USD 6651, moderate USD 7935 and severe USD 14 335) in 2017 prices. The major cost was for informal caregiving (46% of the total cost) followed by out‐of‐pocket expenses (37%). Healthcare utilization contributed to 17% of the total cost of which 43% was for medications. Conclusions Childhood atopic dermatitis imposes substantial costs with a large proportion arising from informal caregiving and out‐of‐pocket expenses. The costs related to atopic dermatitis are also strongly related to disease severity. This information is important for policy makers and other health planners when considering how to better support affected families. What's already known about the topic? Childhood atopic dermatitis is a costly disease for society. However, comprehensive cost estimations are lacking. Previous cost studies are old, based on small sample sizes or are healthcare‐setting specific. What does this study add? This study comprises a health economic evaluation assessing different levels of care and includes various categories of costs. The result showed that informal caregiving was the most prominent cost for children with atopic dermatitis.
Viral warts or verruca are very common skin infections in children. Although benign, lesions can be extensive, painful, bleed, or lead to cosmetic disfigurement. Although spontaneous resolution can occur, parents often bring their children for treatment, especially when they are symptomatic. Many publications have assessed the efficacy and safety of treatment of warts in adults. However, treatment in children can be challenging due to their immune responses and lower threshold for pain. We review the current literature on the methods, efficacy, and side effect profile of common treatment modalities for cutaneous viral warts in children. There is evidence that salicylic acid and cryotherapy are effective, and although cryotherapy is more effective, there is a higher risk of side effects such as pain and blistering. Combination treatment with salicylic acid and cryotherapy may reduce these side effects. Although there is limited data, other treatment options such as cantharidin, immunotherapy and other mechanical therapies, for example, carbon dioxide lasers, may also be considered, especially for recalcitrant lesions.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disease. Poorly controlled AD can lead to reduced quality of life (QoL) and psychosocial impairment. Dupilumab is the first approved monoclonal antibody targeting type 2 inflammation, for adolescent and adult patients with moderate‐to‐severe AD. We performed a retrospective analysis of the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in a cohort of Asian children and adolescents with moderate‐to‐severe AD. Clinical response was documented with investigator global assessment (IGA) and eczema area and severity index (EASI) scores. Improvement in QoL was assessed using child dermatology life quality index (CDLQI) or Teenager's quality of life (T‐QoL), and caregivers' QoL was assessed using dermatitis family impact (DFI) questionnaire. Twelve patients were recruited, aged between 6 to 18 years of age (mean 13.3 years), with mean duration of AD of 9.8 years. At baseline, the mean IGA score was four and the mean EASI was 48.2. The mean T‐QoL and DFI scores at baseline were 18.7 and 19.6, respectively. After 12 to 16 weeks of treatment, the mean IGA score decreased to 2.2. The mean EASI decreased to 19.3 with mean reduction of 28.9. The mean T‐QoL decreased to 7.5 with mean reduction of 11.2, and the mean DFI decreased to 8.6 with mean reduction of 11. Adverse events included mild conjunctivitis in two patients and paradoxical head and neck erythema in one patient. Our study supports dupilumab as an effective and safe treatment option for Asian children and adolescents with moderate‐to‐severe AD.
Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic dermatosis, with onset of disease often manifesting in early infancy. Past studies evaluating the early use of moisturisers in the prevention of AD had mixed results. Objectives:To compare the incidence of moderate or severe AD and total incidence of AD in a cohort of 'at-risk' infants treated with moisturisers from the first 2 weeks of life, to a similar group without moisturisers. Methods:We performed a single-centre, prospective, parallel-group, randomised study in infants with at least 2 first-degree relatives with atopy. Subjects were randomised into either a treatment group with moisturisers or a control group without moisturisers. Participants were assessed at 2, 6, and 12 months for AD and if present, the severity was assessed using SCORAD index. We also compared the overall incidence of AD, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum (SC) hydration, pH, and incidence of food and environmental sensitisation and allergies between both groups. Genotyping for loss-offunctions mutations in the FLG gene was conducted.Results: A total of 200 subjects were recruited, with 100 subjects in each arm. There was no significant difference in incidence of moderate or severe AD, and total incidence of AD at 12 months between the treatment and control groups. There was a lower mean SCORAD in the treatment group than in the control group, but no significant difference in TEWL, SC hydration, and skin pH. No significant side-effects were reported. Conclusions:The early use of moisturisers in 'atrisk' infants does not reduce the incidence of moderate-to-severe AD and overall incidence of AD in infancy.
Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) is the most common non‐Langerhans cell histiocytic disorder. It can rarely be associated with systemic involvement. There is a paucity of literature on JXG in Asian children. We aim to describe the epidemiology, clinical features, systemic associations, histological features and outcome of a cohort of Asian children with JXG, and review the literature on the condition. We retrospectively reviewed the demographic, clinical and histological data of patients less than 16 years of age, diagnosed with JXG at our tertiary pediatric hospital between January 2002 and April 2019. A total of 147 children with JXG were identified, with a slight male preponderance of 53.1%. The median age of the onset was 15.5 months, with 69.4% presenting before 2 years of age. There was no racial predilection. The most frequently involved site was the head and neck region (44.2%). The majority of patients (76.2%) presented with a solitary lesion. Spontaneous resolution was documented in 57.7% of our patients with mean duration to resolution of 18.8 months. The proportion and speed of resolution did not differ in children with single or multiple lesions. No ophthalmologic complications were detected in our study cohort. JXG in children is generally limited to the skin and is rarely associated with systemic involvement, including the eye. Unless clinically indicated, the results from our study does not support routine screening for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, eye or systemic complications, even in the setting of multiple cutaneous JXGs.
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