BJD Talks
The official podcast of the British Journal of Dermatology
BJD Talks
Episode 32 - Venous thromboembolism in atopic dermatitis
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In this episode of BJD Talks, Sam and Meera discuss the article ‘The risk of venous thromboembolism in atopic dermatitis: a population-based cohort study’ by Ivert et al. The full article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1093/bjd/ljaf418
*This podcast was generated by an AI tool created by 67Bricks for the British Association of Dermatologists*
Welcome to BJD Talks, the official podcast of the BJD. I'm Sam.
SPEAKER_01And I'm Mira. In this episode, we will be discussing the article by Lena Ivert et al. The Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Atopic Dermatitis, a population-based cohort study from October 2025 and included in the March 2026 issue.
SPEAKER_00Let's get into it. Atopic dermatitis or AD is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting millions across the globe. Yet it's not just the skin at play here. This condition has systemic implications, including links to other conditions such as venous thromboembolism or VTE.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. This study explored whether individuals with AD face a higher risk of VTE, which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Drawing on over 16 years of data from Swedish health registers, the researchers compared 210,492 adults with AD to more than 1 million controls. The scale and methodological depth here are quite impressive.
SPEAKER_00The findings are intriguing. Overall, there wasn't an increased risk of VTE for AD patients compared to the general population. However, among those with severe AD, requiring systemic treatments or hospitalization, an elevated risk emerged, particularly in younger adults aged 18 to 39.
SPEAKER_01Precisely, Sam. For this youngest group with severe AD, the adjusted hazard ratio for VTE was 2.95 compared to controls, nearly tripling the risk. While the absolute case numbers remained small, the findings raise important questions about monitoring and preventive strategies for patients with severe AD.
SPEAKER_00Indeed. It's also worth noting the stratification by age and gender. Men with severe AD showed a slightly higher VTE risk than women. Systemic inflammation, more marked in severe AD, might contribute here, along with other risk factors like obesity or inactivity.
SPEAKER_01True. They also considered treatment strategies such as Janus kinase inhibitors or JAC inhibitors, which have been linked to increased VTE risk in other inflammatory conditions. The researchers accounted for these variables, but it highlights the need to consider treatment safety alongside efficacy.
SPEAKER_00The clinical message seems clear. While most AD patients have no elevated VTE risk, those with severe forms, especially younger adults, might benefit from preventive measures. This isn't about causing alarm, but about guiding safer treatment approaches.
SPEAKER_01And the study had its limitations. It lacked primary care data, so milder AD cases may have been underrepresented, affecting the generalizability of the non-severe group. Plus, lifestyle factors such as body mass index or physical activity weren't accounted for, though they are important VTE risk factors.
SPEAKER_00Fair point. Nevertheless, this is a significant study highlighting the importance of tailored healthcare, looking beyond skin symptoms to systemic risks. Future research could delve further into mechanisms like chronic inflammation or genetic predispositions.
SPEAKER_01Agreed. In summary, this study shows that severe AD, especially in younger adults, is linked to an increased VTE risk. It challenges us as clinicians to consider the broader comorbid landscape of AD.
SPEAKER_00Well put, Mira, that's all for today's episode of BJD Talks. Thanks for listening, and as always, stay curious and keep the conversation going.