The study also linked primary diagnoses of AD to having Medicaid insurance or being uninsured, being poorer, or visiting hospitals in “micropolitan” areas (small urban communities such as Bozeman, Mont., and Durango, Colo.).
The study did not examine what medications were prescribed in the ED. However, Dr. Silverberg said, “my anecdotal experience has been that many AD patients are prescribed systemic steroids by nondermatologists in the [ED] setting. While these are rapidly effective, they typically have short-lived efficacy and result in rebound flares upon cessation. Patients are rarely counseled on appropriate skin care techniques or given long-term treatment approaches in the [ED] setting, which fails to achieve adequate long-term disease control.”
What’s next? “We are now studying how AD severity, disease course, and treatment impact [ED] utilization for AD,” Dr. Silverberg said.
No specific study funding was reported. He and Ms. Kwa report no relevant disclosures.
SOURCE: Silverberg, J et al. Poster 7021.