ATOPIC DERMATITIS: HOW GUT HEALTH COULD BE THE MISSING PIECE IN MANAGING ECZEMA

Implementing a full-spectrum gut health approach in addition to established dermatologic treatment can pave the way for better outcomes and quality of life (QOL) for patients with atopic dermatitis.

- Dr. Shitij Goel, Senior Consultant - Dermatology, Shardacare Healthcity

For years, atopic dermatitis (AD) – otherwise known as eczema – was regarded as a localized skin problem, one that for decades was considered treatable with topical creams or corticosteroids.

Over time, a growing body of evidence has challenged the notion that eczema is only “skin deep”. This has been aided by growing interest and the emergence of a new area of research focused on the gut-skin axis, which has opened an entirely new landscape for how we inject ourselves into the assessment and management of chronic skin diseases. Emerging evidence and ongoing work is revealing that gut microbiome dysbiosis may trigger or play a role in the exacerbation of inflammatory skin diseases.

This is a major shift in thinking that is informing how dermatologists, immunologists, and gastroenterologists think about the treatment and prevention of eczema and the possibility of causing deeper healing within the Gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This degree of shift is also garnering interest from healthcare institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and nutraceutical companies trying to build around microbiome therapies as adjuvant therapies for eczema and other chronic skin illnesses.

Eczema: A Disease Beyond the Skin

According to epidemiological studies reported in the scientific literature, the worldwide prevalence of atopic dermatitis is nearly 20% of children and 10% of adults. It typically starts in infancy, is marked by dry, inflamed, and itchy skin, can last through adulthood, and interferes with quality of life and mental wellbeing. Eczema was traditionally managed symptomatically, with moisturizers, corticosteroids, antihistamines, and biologic agents for flareups. Most treatments addressed only the visible symptoms and immune dysregulation on the surface of the skin.