Dupilumab Seems Safe, Effective for Pediatric Patients With Eczema

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- For children with atopic dermatitis (AD), dupilumab demonstrates long-term effectiveness and safety, according to a study published online Sept. 16 in JAMA Dermatology.Florence Vroman, M.D., from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, and colleagues examined the clinical effectiveness, safety, drug survival, and reasons and associated factors for dupilumab discontinuation across pediatric age groups in a multicenter, prospective cohort study. Participants included 309 pediatric patients with AD: 51 aged 6 months to 5 years, 120 aged 6 to 11 years, and 138 aged 12 to 16 years at baseline.Most of the patients maintained controlled AD; after three years, mean Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) scores for pruritus remained low (3.4 and 3.6, respectively). The researchers identified significant differences in NRS for pruritus and quality-of-life scores over time between age groups, with higher scores consistently reported by children aged 6 months to 5 years versus older children. Dupilumab-associated ocular surface disease was the most frequently reported adverse event (36.6 percent). Overall, 50 patients (16.2 percent) discontinued dupilumab, mainly due to ineffectiveness, adverse events, or administration problems (38.0, 30.0, and 22.0 percent, respectively); most of the discontinuations occurred within 1.5 years. Drug survival was 80.1 percent at three years; the risk for discontinuation was lower in association with allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, and being age 6 to 11 years."This highlights the specific challenges in this young age group and underscores the need for clinicians to be aware of and proactively address these issues," the authors write.Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry; patients in this study participated in the BioDay registry, which is sponsored by various pharmaceutical companies.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Dupilumab Seems Safe, Effective for Pediatric Patients With Eczema

Related Stories

Less Overdiagnosis In Breast Cancer Screening Than Thought, Study Finds

What's Living On Baby's Skin Might Predict Childhood Eczema Risk

Pig Kidney Kept Man Alive For A Year While Awaiting A Human Organ Donation

Dexrazoxane Offers Lasting Doxorubicin Cardioprotective Effect in Childhood Cancer Survivors