Atopic dermatitis in children tied to increased risks of learning and memory difficulties: JAMA
USA: A cross-sectional study suggests prioritizing evaluation for cognitive impairment in children with atopic dermatitis (AD) among those with comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders. The findings were published online in JAMA Dermatology on March 6, 2024.
Using 2021 US National Health Interview Survey data, the researchers found that a weighted sample of 69 732 807 children with atopic dermatitis were more likely to experience memory and learning difficulties than those without AD. However, these associations were primarily limited to children with neurodevelopmental comorbidities, such as learning disabilities or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and not observed among children without comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders.
Previous studies indicate that atopic dermatitis is associated with cognitive impairment in children, but these studies have primarily relied on neurodevelopmental diagnoses (rather than symptoms) as proxy measures of cognitive function. Whether certain subpopulations of children with AD are at greater risk of cognitive impairment remains unknown.
To fill this knowledge gap, Emily Z. Ma, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, and colleagues aimed to investigate the association of AD with symptoms of cognitive impairment (difficulty in memory or learning) among US children. They also determined whether this association varies according to the absence or presence of neurodevelopmental comorbidities (developmental delay, ADHD, or learning disability).
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