Page 93 - LECTURE NOTES

4.4.1 Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis: is an in inflammatory disorder of the skin but in this case the patient
inherits an increased tendency of becoming sensitized to various environmental

allergens.

This tendency is inherited as a polygenic recessive character and several relatives of
the patient also often suffer from one of the atopic disorder which include asthma,

uritcaria and allergic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is an intensely pruritic, recurrent inflammation of the skin occurring in

all groups (infant, childhood and adolescent). It is the most common type of infantile

eczema and is also seen in characteristic patterns in children, adolescents and adults
too.

Approximately 70 percent of patients with atopic dermatitis have a family history of
atopiy. About 3 percent of infants have some evidence of atopic dermatitis during the

first few moths of life and many children with atopic dermatitis develop either rhinitists or
asthma at a later age.

Clinical manifestations
Many of the clinical signs and symptoms seen are secondary to scratching and rubbing

of the skin

- The clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis during infancy are called infantile

atopic eczema and consists of severely itching, erythematosus, papulo–vesicular
lesions with appear on the cheeks and spread to other parts of the body

- In severe case exudations and massive crusting can occur

Note: Atopic dermatitis usually sets up avicious cycle, itching leads to scratching and

scratching causes oozing and other changes, Infantileatopic eczema usually starts on
the face, cheek and extensor of extremities and can even be generalized, including

flexures and trunks in the first six months, later In child hood, adolescent and adult hood

also affect the flexures and the trunk.

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