JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, affecting a significant percentage of the global population. Emerging research suggests a potential link between AD and neurodevelopmental disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies within the Saudi Arabian population examining this association.

Objective:

This study aims to determine the prevalence of ADHD among patients with AD in Saudi Arabia and to explore potential associations with demographic and clinical factors.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional, multi-center study, 419 AD patients from various Saudi hospitals were screened for ADHD using the ADHD Rating Scale-5 for children and the Adult Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) for adults. Logistic regression was utilized to evaluate the influence of AD severity, age, gender, nationality and body mass index on the development of ADHD.

Results:

Of the 419 AD patients, 20% were potentially have ADHD. The prevalence was slightly higher among children (20.9%) compared to adults (18.9%) (p=0.61). No significant associations were found between ADHD and gender, nationality, BMI, or AD severity among both age groups. Moreover, moderate to severe AD was diagnosed in 25.9% of adult participants compared to 17.9% of children (p = 0.048).

Conclusions:

This study highlights a potential association between AD and ADHD in the Saudi population. Although no significant clinical predictors were identified, the findings emphasize the need for ADHD screening in AD patients, particularly in regions with high AD prevalence. Future longitudinal studies should explore underlying mechanisms and assess how managing one condition may influence the other. Clinical Trial: NAD