Inflamed Skin, Burdened Heart: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Atopic Dermatitis and Cardiovascular Health

Chenghui Ma,1,* Yikang Xu,2,* Wenshuo Bai,3 Yulin Zou4,5 1Department of Geriatrics, The Fourth People’s Hospital of Shenyang, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110031, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, 110002, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Cardiology, Jinzhou Central Hospital, Jinzhou, Liaoning, 121000, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; 5Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 12100, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yulin Zou, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, Göttingen, 37075, Germany, Tel +49-551-3968081, Email [email protected]: The diseases of both skin and cardiovascular are the most significant global medical challenges for their high rates of morbidity and mortality. Although not life-threatening, skin diseases significantly impair patients’ quality of life and affect a large proportion of the population due to their chronic and persistent nature. Cardiovascular diseases are characterized by both a widespread prevalence and a high risk of mortality, posing a significant public health burden. As both skin diseases and cardiovascular diseases fall under the umbrella of inflammatory disorders, a degree of pathophysiological connection exists between them. Historically, the potential interplay between these seemingly unrelated conditions was largely overlooked. However, accumulating evidence in recent years has suggested that inflammatory skin diseases—particularly Atopic Dermatitis (AD)—may be associated with an elevated risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This review therefore not only examines the emerging interdisciplinary links between AD and cardiology, but also highlights ongoing controversies, the limitations of current evidence, and outlines future research directions needed to clarify their shared inflammatory pathways and clinical implications.Keywords: atopic dermatitis, inflammation, skin, cardiovascular, heart