Atopic Dermatitis, Depression, and Suicidality

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common disease associated with an underappreciated increased risk of depression and suicidality. Current literature investigates associated risk factors, including severity of disease, age, sex, and atopic comorbidities, which may help identify patients with AD at high risk for depression or suicidality. Increasing severity of AD and female sex are associated with an increased risk for both depression and suicidality, while increasing age is associated with an increased risk for depression only. Further research is required to validate the studies supporting these reported associations with a particular emphasis on suicidality and AD due to lack of information. The use of these risk factors may assist in the creation of simple screening tools to screen for psychiatric comorbidity in patients with AD.