"Why Eczema Is Tougher To Treat For Black Patients"
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, can be very difficult to control in some people. But the skin condition, which leads to dry, itchy and inflamed skin, is particularly problematic for black people, according to new research. "Research shows about 19 percent of African Americans and 16 percent of European Americans are diagnosed with atopic dermatitis," said study lead author Emma Guttman, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Excellence in Eczema in the Laboratory of Inflammatory Skin Diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "Our study found there are significant differences in the skin of people with atopic dermatitis than in those without the condition," she added. "Furthermore, we found African Americans with atopic dermatitis have more inflammation than European Americans with the condition,” she said. Scientists are using molecular skin profiling to develop more effective treatments for eczema. Previous research, however, had only included European Americans with the skin condition, the study authors explained. So the new study compared the molecular profile of the skin in eczema patients of African descent with patients of European descent, looking for differences that might help researchers improve treatment options for black people.
- Emma Guttman, MD, PhD, The Sol & Clara Professor, Dermatology, Clinical Immunology, Medicine, Vice Chair, Research, Department of Dermatology, Director, The Center for Excellence in Eczema, Laboratory of Inflammatory Skin Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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