Patient-reported aggravating factors with AD
In this study, 14783 patients (87.8%) did not report any aggravating
factors, whereas 1953 patients (11.6%) reported 1 or more aggravating
factors. Seasonal aggravating factors including spring, summer, and
winter affected a significant proportion of patients with severe AD.
Freshwater fish and shellfish, ocean fish and shellfish, lamb and beef,
chili peppers, and alcohol were among the aggravating food-related
factors. For environmental risk factors, sunlight, humidity, dryness,
sweat, shower, rub, dust, and pollen are studied, which all contributed
to severe AD. Aggravating psychological factors, including stress,
emotional problems, and sleep disorders, were observed in patients with
severe AD.The above results are presented in Table 3.
The association between AD severity and seasonal aggravating factors was
significant in patients who reported summer as a seasonal risk factor
(OR, 1.23, 95%CI: 1.04-1.46, P=0.014) (Table 3). The association
between AD severity and food-related aggravating factors was significant
in patients who reported freshwater fish and shellfish (OR, 1.77,
95%CI: 1.35-2.33, P<0.001), ocean fish and shellfish (OR:
1.61, 95%CI: 1.33-1.96, P<0.001), lamb and beef (OR, 2.01,
95%CI: 1.59-2.56, P<0.001), chili peppers (OR, 1.52, 95%CI:
1.19-1.95, P=0.001), and alcohol (OR, 1.83, 95%CI: 1.36-2.48,
P<0.001) as aggravating factors (Table 3). The association
between AD severity and environmental aggravating factors was
significant in patients who reported sunlight (OR: 1.79, 95%CI:
1.42-2.25, P<0.001), humidity (OR, 1.61, 95%CI: 1.23-2.11, P=0.001),
sweat (OR, 1.27, 95%CI: 1.08-1.48, P=0.004), shower (OR, 1.63, 95%CI:
1.26-2.11, P<0.001), rub (OR, 1.84, 95%CI: 1.37-2.46, P<0.001), dust
(OR, 1.55, 95%CI: 1.24-1.92, P<0.001), and pollen (OR, 2.15, 95%CI:
1.54-3.00, P<0.001) as aggravating factors (Table 3). The association
between AD severity and psychological aggravating factors was
significant in patients who reported stress (OR, 1.99, 95%CI:
1.59-2.50, P<0.001), emotional problem (OR, 1.80, 95%CI: 1.44-2.26,
P<0.001), and sleep disorder (OR, 1.89, 95%CI: 1.49-2.41, P<0.001) as
aggravating factors (Table 3).