Current Burden of Atopic Dermatitis in India: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic dermatological condition affecting ~10% of adults and ~20% of the paediatric population in high-income countries. There is a lack of comprehensive understanding of the disease burden of AD in India. In this systematic review, the primary objective was to review epidemiological data on AD in India based on articles published between 2011 and 2021. The secondary objective was to assess the disease burden from economic and quality of life (QoL) perspectives. A literature search was conducted using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases using predefined search strings. Relevant studies published in English on AD between 2011 and 2021 were included. This review included 11 articles, of which nine reported demographic and clinical characteristics. The reported prevalence ranged from 3.1% to 7.21% among the paediatric population, up to 16 years of age. The prevalence of AD ranged from 0.98% to 9.2% in studies including paediatric and adult patients. The cost of medications was reported to be the major contributor to the economic burden associated with AD. Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety were frequently reported in association with AD. Although AD is a common disorder affecting all age groups, there is a lack of substantial epidemiological data. None of the current studies covers the entire country. Hence, studies with a wider geographic scope covering all aspects of disease burden are required to help clinicians and policymakers to understand the disease burden and devise appropriate preventive and management strategies.

Dietary Polyphenols, Plant Metabolites, and Allergic Disorders: A Comprehensive Review

“…The incidence of allergic illnesses has risen significantly in the last two to three decades, and it is currently impacting not only developed nations but also underdeveloped/developing economies [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Given the unlikelihood of genetic predispositions being the only factor responsible, it is more appropriate to explain this significant rising trend by alterations in environmental factors.…”

Dietary Polyphenols—Natural Bioactive Compounds with Potential for Preventing and Treating Some Allergic Conditions

“…The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased dramatically over the past two to three decades, and the second wave of the allergy epidemic is now affecting not only the Western world but also developing countries [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Assuming that modifications in genetic predispositions over such a time frame are unlikely, this dramatic upward trend should rather be attributed to changing environmental factors.…”