Importance: The associations of atopic dermatitis (AD) with multiple cardiovascular comorbidities have been investigated because of its pathomechanisms regarding chronic systemic inflammation and potential vascular effects. Nevertheless, the association between AD and incident venous thromboembolism (VTE) in adulthood is largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association of AD with incident VTE.
Objective: To examine the risk of incident VTE among patients with AD.
Design, setting, and participants: This population-based nationwide cohort study included adults 20 years or older (adults with AD newly diagnosed between 2003 and 2017 and matched controls) from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients with AD were subgrouped according to the severity of the disease. A Cox regression model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for VTE. Stratified analyses according to age and sex, and a sensitivity analysis excluding systemic steroid users were performed.
Main outcomes and measures: Hazard ratios (HRs) for incident VTE associated with AD.
Results: This analysis included a total of 284 858 participants, with 142 429 participants each in the AD (mean [SD] age, 44.9 [18.3] years; 78 213 women) and non-AD cohorts (mean [SD] age, 44.1 [18.1] years; 79 636 women). During the follow-up, 1066 patients (0.7%) in the AD cohort and 829 patients (0.6%) in the non-AD cohort developed VTE, with incidence rates of 1.05 and 0.82 per 1000 person-years, respectively. Adults with AD had a significantly increased risk of incident VTE (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.17-1.40) compared with adults without AD. Individual outcome analyses suggested that AD was associated with higher risks of deep vein thrombosis (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.14-1.40) and pulmonary embolism (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.08-1.57).
Conclusions and relevance: The results of this cohort study suggest that AD in adulthood is associated with an increased risk of VTE; however, the absolute risk difference of VTE between adults with and without AD appears small. Nevertheless, cardiovascular examination and imperative management may be considered for adults with AD who present with symptoms suggestive of VTE. Future research is warranted to elucidate the pathophysiology underlying the association between AD and VTE.