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Severe eczema linked to 70% increased risk for heart failure

Patients with severe atopic eczema have a 20% increased risk for stroke and a 70% increased risk for heart failure, according to new research led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The population-based matched cohort study, published in the BMJ, used electronic health records from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, Hospital Episode Statistics, and data from the Office for National Statistics for the period 1998-2015.

A total of 387,439 adults with a diagnosis of atopic eczema were matched to 1,528,477 patients without atopic eczema. Evidence of a 10%-20% increased risk for non-fatal primary cardiovascular events was found for patients with eczema.

There was a strong dose-response relation with severity of eczema. Along with the increased risk for stroke and heart failure, patients with severe disease had a 40%-50% increase in the risk for myocardial infarction, unstable angina, atrial fibrillation and cardiovascular death. Patients with the most active atopic eczema (active >50% of follow-up) were at a greater risk for cardiovascular outcomes.

Adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors as potential mediators partially attenuated the risk in the overall cohort but the associations persisted for severe atopic eczema.

Commenting on the findings, the authors said: “Consideration should be given to developing prevention strategies to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease among patients with severe or predominantly active atopic eczema, including awareness of and screening for conventional cardiovascular risk factors by those providing clinical care.”


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