Increased Risk of Suicide Attempt in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study

Mu-Chun Lin, MD ; Sheng-Hsiang Ma, MD ; Ying-Hsuan Tai, MD ; Ying-Xiu Dai, MD ; Mu-Hong Chen, MD, PhD ; Chih-Chiang Chen, MD, PhD

J Clin Psychiatry 2025;86(2):24m15590

Abstract

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with an increased risk of mental illness. However, few studies have explored the association between AD and suicidal risk. This study aimed to investigate the risk of suicide attempts in patients with AD.

Methods: Between 1997–2013, 5,169 patients with AD and 20,676 controls (1:4) matched according to age, sex, socioeconomic status, and selected comorbidities were enrolled from the Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database to analyze the risk of suicide attempt.

Results: Individuals with AD were found to have an elevated risk of suicide attempts, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 3.44 (95% CI, 1.83–6.46), compared to the control group. In the stratification analysis, the risk of suicide remained significantly higher in patients with AD of younger age, female sex, and those with cumulative systemic corticosteroid use for <30 days.

Conclusions: Dermatologists must recognize the potential increased suicidal risk in patients with AD, especially in vulnerable groups and those with certain comorbidities. Furthermore, patients with mild AD did not have a reduced suicidal risk.

J Clin Psychiatry 2025;86(2):24m15590

Author affiliations are listed at the end of this article.

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