Real-world efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of head and neck atopic dermatitis: a retrospective cohort study

Background Head and neck atopic dermatitis (HNAD) is a clinically common subtype of AD. While dupilumab is widely used in AD treatment, its efficacy in HNAD is debatable. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the real-world efficacy and safety of dupilumab in HNAD. Methods A retrospective study included 29 individuals with HNAD (17 adults and 12 pediatric patients) who were treated with dupilumab. Primary variables, including the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA), Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), Visual Analog Scale for Itch (VAS-Itch), and Visual Analog Scale for Sleep Quality (VAS-SQ), were evaluated at baseline, week 4, week 8, and week 16. Data on adverse events (AEs) were routinely collected. Results At week 16, all assessments demonstrated improvement. Both groups exhibited significant decreases ( p < 0.05) in efficacy indicators, with the exception of children’s DLQI, which showed a decreasing trend but did not achieve statistical significance. These findings indicate that dupilumab significantly decreased the severity of the condition and improved the overall quality of life in both adults and children. Conclusion This real-world study revealed that dupilumab could be an effective and safe therapy for HNAD patients across both children and adults.