Prurigo nodularis closely associated with atopic dermatitis, finds recent research

The substantial correlation between prurigo nodularis (PN) and atopic dermatitis (AD) has been highlighted by a recent systematic review published in the International Journal of Dermatology which indicated the possibility of a reciprocal relationship in the development of both chronic skin disorders.

The chronic dermatological disorders prurigo nodularis and atopic dermatitis are characterized by intense itching and the development of eczematous lesions like nodules and papules. Both have the potential to cause serious psychological and physical suffering, which lowers quality of life. Similar to atopic dermatitis, prurigo nodularis is characterized by continuous scratching and consequent skin abnormalities, however its pathogenesis is not well known. It can cause substantial physical and psychological suffering. There is clinical evidence connecting prurigo nodularis to atopic dermatitis, although quantitative research on the degree of this connection has just recently been conducted.

The study by Li and colleagues assessed the relationship between prurigo nodularis and atopic dermatitis, including whether patients with prurigo nodularis have higher rates of atopic dermatitis and whether atopic dermatitis patients are more likely to develop prurigo nodularis. A thorough search was conducted throughout PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to find papers that measure this relationship from the beginning until February 2024. Observational studies showing the occurrence or prevalence of prurigo nodularis among individuals with atopic dermatitis or atopic dermatitis in individuals with prurigo nodularis were considered for assessment.

These 5 investigations included a total of 12,902 patients with prurigo nodularis and 5,075,024 control patients, as well as 5463 adult patients with atopic dermatitis and 363,519 control adults. This study used a random-effects meta-analysis to find that, in comparison to the control group, the patients with prurigo nodularis had a significantly higher chance of developing atopic dermatitis.

The prevalence of prurigo nodularis in patients with atopic dermatitis and controls was evaluated in a single research with 5463 participants. When compared to controls, this findings indicated that individuals with atopic dermatitis had a greater prevalence of prurigo nodularis. Overall, the combination of these data highlights the need for increased awareness of prurigo nodularis in patients with atopic dermatitis and vice versa.

Reference:

Li, W., Pi, Y., & Xu, J. (2024). Association between atopic dermatitis and prurigo nodularis: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. In International Journal of Dermatology. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.17493