AD Not Linked to Early CV Risk Markers

Repeated assessments from childhood to early adulthood did not identify consistent cardiometabolic risk patterns by disease activity or severity.

By
Kathryn Wighton
May 27, 2026
5 min

MDSpire News

Overview

A study involving 9,281 participants found no consistent association between active atopic dermatitis (AD) and early cardiovascular risk markers in pediatric patients.

Background

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin condition in children and adolescents, and its potential link to cardiovascular disease risk has been a topic of interest. Understanding whether AD is associated with early cardiovascular risk markers is crucial for guiding clinical management and screening recommendations. Previous studies have shown mixed results, highlighting the need for comprehensive longitudinal analyses.

Data Highlights

No significant associations were found between active AD and cardiometabolic risk scores at ages 15 and 17 years. Among 49 comparisons of individual cardiovascular risk factors, only two nominal associations with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were reported.

Key Findings

Active AD was present in 13% to 22% of participants aged 3 to 18 years.
No evidence of an association between active AD and cardiometabolic risk scores at ages 15 or 17 years.
Two nominal associations were found involving LDL-C: lower at age 3 years and higher at age 10 years.
No consistent dose-response pattern by AD severity was observed.
Five longitudinal AD trajectory phenotypes showed no consistent associations with cardiovascular risk markers.
Moderate-frequent AD at age 17 years and severe-frequent AD at age 24 years were associated with lower HDL-C.