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Introduction
Atopic dermatitis is a familial, chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease characterized by intense itching, and dry skin, with inflammation and exudation that commonly presents during early infancy and childhood; however, it can persist or start in adulthood. It is also referred to as atopic eczema, eczema, or neurodermatitis.
Epidemiology
Atopic dermatitis affects as much as 230 million people worldwide. It is one of the most common skin diseases afflicting both children and adults with a prevalence of 2-10% in young adults and up to 20% in children while it is estimated to be present in 2-5% of adults. In the Asia-Pacific region, the prevalence of atopic dermatitis among 6- to 7-year-old children is approximately 10%, higher than the overall global prevalence which is at 7.9%. Likewise, the prevalence of the disease in the first 2 years of life is also high at 7-27% in Asian-Pacific countries. However, among 13- to 14-year-old adolescents, prevalence in Asian-Pacific countries were lower at 3-5% compared to the global average of 7%.