Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disease that begins in childhood and can persist into adulthood, with a significant impact on quality of life. However, there is a lack of data on its characteristics and treatment in Colombia and Latin America. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life, and treatment responses in patients with AD at a referral centre in the city of Medellín, Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted analysing demographic, clinical, and treatment response data, including biologic therapy, in patients with AD treated at the Comprehensive Clinical Program for Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases (CLIPSO) during the period 2018-2022 in Medellín, Colombia. RESULTS: A total of 301 patients, including children and adults, with a mean age of 26.76 years were studied; 32.2% were under 18 years old. The average follow-up was 33.23+/- 22.11 months. Psychiatric disorders were detected in 7.3% of patients and cardiovascular comorbidities in 10.6%. At baseline, moderate-to-severe disease severity was observed. A 50% reduction in pruritus was associated with adequate disease control by therapy. Additionally, patients treated with dupilumab experienced a 30% decrease in clinical evaluation scores during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Understanding the characteristics of a disease in both children and adults is crucial for comprehensive and personalised management. It is important to know data such as age of onset, symptoms, common lesion locations according to age, comorbidities, and treatment responses. This information is fundamental for selecting appropriate therapies, ensuring effective follow-up, and improving quality of life.