Clinical profile of atopic dermatitis in children: demographics, skin lesions, and treatment approaches

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) has a high prevalence, especially in children (15-20%), with significant increases in industrialized countries. In Indonesia, AD ranks as the most common pediatric skin disease, affecting 23.67% of children. This condition significantly impacts the psychosocial well-being of both patients and their families and is often associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis, particularly in severe cases. Purpose: This study aims to identify the clinical profile of pediatric AD patients at RSUD Dr. Soetomo Surabaya from 2020 to 2023. Methods: This observational descriptive study uses secondary patient data with a retrospective design. Results: Seventy-one samples met the inclusion criteria, with the highest number of visits occurring in 2020. Most patients were from Surabaya. The majority of cases were in the infantile age group, with a predominance of male patients. Itching was the most common primary complaint, and the majority of cases had symptoms lasting less than one month. In infants, erythema was the most common lesion, while in the pediatric group, erosion was most frequent, and in adolescents, erythema was also common. Lesions were most commonly located on the face in infants, while in the childhood and adolescence groups, lesions were primarily found on the lower extremities. A total of 11.26% of patients had a history of asthma, and 2.81% had allergic rhinitis. Recurrence was common, and 33.80% of patients had a family history of atopy. The most commonly used systemic therapy was cetirizine and the most common topical treatment was hypoallergenic emollients.