This article was originally published in French on Medscape.
PARIS — The 17th Congrès Francophone d'allergologie (CFA), a congress of French-speaking allergists, took place April 19-April 22 at the Palais des Congrès de la Porte Maillot in Paris. The session about atopic dermatitis (AD) was eagerly anticipated, given the abundance of recent research into the disease. Audrey Nosbaum, MD, PhD, a dermatologist at the Department of Allergies and Clinical Immunology, South Lyon University Hospital, France, talked about treating AD with dupilumab (Dupixent), the first systemic biologic therapy for children and teenagers.
First-Line Therapy
In 2020, European recommendations, which are published every 2 years, guided the treatment of AD. The key takeaway was that all children should use daily emollients and receive information about their treatment. "While emollients have been debated since 2014, we are strongly recommending them," said Nosbaum.
Depending on the AD severity, the algorithm in the recommendations describes other treatment options. In 2020, dupilumab, an anti-IL-4 and anti-IL-13 monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signaling pathways of these two cytokines, became available for the most severe forms of AD. "Since October 2021, hospital allergists have been authorized to issue the initial biotherapy prescription," Nosbaum clarified, encouraging the audience to "get their hands on the molecule."
