Nationwide South Korean case-control study of the association of atopic dermatitis and risk of gastric cancer

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease that is increasingly recognized as a systemic disorder. A nationwide case-control study in South Korea included 10,174 AD patients, matched 1:4 for age, sex, income, and region with individuals without AD. Propensity score weighting was used to control for confouders. AD was significantly associated with increased risk of GC (aOR 1.08; 95% CI 1,01-1,15) with stronger associations among elderly individuals, men, rural residents, those without comorbidities, and participants without history of allergic rhinitis or asthma. The authors conclude that AD may be associated with an increased risk of GC in the Korean population.