Complications of atopic dermatitis: current state of the problem

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a widespread chronic skin disease that significantly reduces quality of life. In recent years, there has been a trend towards a rise in the incidence of AD, a worsening of its course and an increase in the frequency of complications of the disease. The article presents data on bacterial and viral infections that aggravate the course of AD, complications that arise during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period as well as during treatment with certain medications. Risk factors for the development of bacterial and viral infections include mutations in the filaggrin gene, immune disorders, defects in the skin barrier and skin microbiome. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common causative agent of bacterial infectious diseases. According to some authors, colonization with Staphylococcus aureus can occur in 90% of patients with AD. Viral infections are less common in AD than bacterial infections. It has been established that patients with AD experience significantly higher rates of complications during pregnancy than healthy women. In addition, according to several studies, the use of drugs (dupilumab, topical calcineurin inhibitors) in the treatment of AD can lead to the development of lymphoid reactions with the formation of lymphoid infiltrates in the skin as well as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Further research aimed at in-depth study of the risk factors and mechanisms of AD complications is needed in order to develop methods for the timely prevention of this pathology.