People with atopic dermatitis (AD) are at a significantly higher risk of osteoporosis and major osteoporotic fractures, according to a recent study. This risk remains true even if they’ve never taken systemic corticosteroids, in fact, these elevated risks were concentrated in the patients who used potent or superpotent topical corticosteroids. Adult Atopic dermatitis patients who used mild- or moderate-potency topical steroids were not at significantly increased risk.

The findings were reported at a meeting of the European Task Force on Atopic Dermatitis held in conjunction with the annual congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. The study was presented by Jacob P. Thyssen, professor of dermatology at the University of Copenhagen.