Improvement of Depressive and Fatigue Symptoms under Dupilumab Therapy in Atopic Dermatitis Patients: Results from the TREATgermany Registry

Authors

  • Stephan Traidl Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4806-599X
  • Angela Cornelius Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
  • Luise Heinrich Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden, Germany
  • Doreen Siegels Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden, Germany
  • Helena Zacharias Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics of TU Braunschweig and Hannover Medical School, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
  • Annice Heratizadeh Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
  • Tatjana Honstein Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
  • Barbara Kind Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden, Germany
  • Dora Stölzl Center for Inflammatory Skin Diseases, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
  • Matthias Augustin Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
  • Thomas Schaefer Practice Dr. med. Thomas Schaefer and Dr. med. Doreen Belz, Derma Koeln, Cologne, Germany
  • Anne Bong Practice Dr. med. Anne Bong, Emmerich, Germany
  • Susanne Abraham Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Dermatology, University Allergy Center, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden, Germany
  • Andreas Pinter Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Clinical Research, University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Jutta Ramaker-Brunke Practice 'Die Hautärzte' Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
  • Michael Schulz-Kiesow Practice Dr. med. Michael Schulz-Kiesow and Dr. med. Inken Reimers, Lübeck, Germany
  • Sven Quist Dermatology Clinic, Helix Medical Excellence Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
  • Beate Schwarz Practice Dr. med. Beate Schwarz, Langenau, Germany
  • Tilo Biedermann Department of Dermatology and Allergy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
  • Mohammad Asefi Dermatology study center Hunsrueck, Simmern, Germany
  • Caroline Mann Clinic for Dermatology, University Hospital, Mainz, Germany
  • Nicole Adler Hautärzte am Fastnachtsbrunnen, FÄ Nicole Adler, Mainz, Germany
  • Michael Sticherling Department of Dermatology, University, German Center for Immunotherapy, Erlangen, Germany
  • Knut Schäkel Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
  • Anke Herrmann Practice Dr. med. Anke Herrmann, Greifswald, Germany
  • Kathrin Meinhardt Practice Kathrin Meinhardt, Beckum, Germany
  • Maren Stahl Practice Dr. med. Maren Stahl, Ostero, Germany
  • Christiane Handrick Practice Dr. med. Christiane Handrick, Berlin, Germany
  • Sabine Anders Practice Dr. med. Sabine Anders, Munich, Germany
  • Stephan Weidinger Center for Inflammatory Skin Diseases, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
  • Jochen Schmitt Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden, Germany
  • Thomas Werfel Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/actadv.v106.adv-2026-0616

Keywords:

atopic dermatitis, depression, fatigue, eczema, dupilumab, biologics

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis is commonly associated with depressive symptoms and fatigue, which significantly impact quality of life. While clinical trials suggest beneficial effects of dupilumab on mental health, real-world evidence remains limited. This longitudinal cohort study analysed data from adult patients treated with dupilumab in the TREATgermany registry. Subgroups were defined by baseline Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES D) scores ≥16 (clinically significant depressive symptoms) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) scores >4 (significant fatigue). Clinical severity (Eczema Area and Severity Index [EASI], objective Scoring Atopic Dermatitis [oSCORAD]), quality of life (DLQI), psychological symptoms, treatment needs and benefits (PNQ, PBI) and drug survival were assessed over 12 months. Among 633 patients, those with elevated baseline CES-D (n=309) or FSS (n=281) scores reported greater disease burden measured by DLQI, while EASI and oSCORAD did not differ between subgroups. Both CES-D and FSS scores decreased markedly within the first 3 months. Sleep and social functioning needs were more frequently reported in high-burden subgroups and more often fulfilled after 12 months. Drug survival was comparable across subgroups. Dupilumab treatment was associated with significant improvements in depressive symptoms, fatigue and skin severity. Patients with higher baseline mental health burden showed comparable improvements in patient relevant domains, supporting the broad relevance of dupilumab in real-world atopic dermatitis care.

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Published

2026-08-06

How to Cite

Traidl, S., Cornelius, A., Heinrich, L., Siegels, D., Zacharias, H., Heratizadeh, A., … Werfel, T. (2026). Improvement of Depressive and Fatigue Symptoms under Dupilumab Therapy in Atopic Dermatitis Patients: Results from the TREATgermany Registry. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 106, adv–2026. https://doi.org/10.2340/actadv.v106.adv-2026-0616

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Vol. 106 (2026)

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