Atopic Dermatitis and Cardiovascular Risk in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cardiovascular guidelines recommend early screening and preventative treatment for children with chronic inflammatory diseases. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with cardiovascular risk in adults, but data in children are limited. We systematically searched for studies that examined the association between childhood AD and cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes. Data from 10 publications, including 577,148 individuals, revealed an association between AD and ischemic heart disease (n = 3, OR = 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.29-2.19) and diabetes (n = 4, OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.12-1.53), but this did not persist among studies that adjusted for potential confounders (n = 2, OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.35-2.75). Similarly, there was an association with lipid disorders but not across the entire population distribution (n = 7, OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.13-1.36, 95% prediction interval = 0.95-1.61). AD was not associated with hypertension (n = 5, OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.98-1.34, 95% prediction interval = 0.81-1.62) or stroke (n = 2, OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 0.94-1.62). Studies lacked detail on AD severity and important confounders such as body mass index, and the certainty of evidence was very low to low on the basis of GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) assessments. Currently, data do not support a clinically meaningful increase in cardiovascular risk for children with AD.