Nail manifestations in atopic dermatitis: a systematic review.

Background: Nail involvement is not well-studied in atopic dermatitis but is believed to be more common than what is known. The spectrum of nail disorders that result from underlying atopic dermatitis (AD) is wide and has been reported in several studies, but there has been no systematic review so far to understand and quantify its prevalence.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and type of nail disorders seen in AD, either as a complication of the underlying condition or as a clue to its early diagnosis.

Methods: The authors performed a systematic review of English and non-English articles using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane which reported the proportion of nail changes among AD patients. Only studies specifically looking at AD and its associated nail manifestations were included. Data were extracted and summarized descriptively.

Results: Twelve studies reported proportion of nail changes among AD patients. One study reported numbers in both adults and children cohorts, allowing 13 cohorts for final systematic review.

Conclusions: Knowledge of the types and prevalence of nail changes in AD raises awareness among physicians managing AD.