AAD has issued new evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and assessment of atopic dermatitis (AD). The first section of the 4-part guidelines, which are based on an extensive review of the scientific literature on AD conducted by a work group of recognized AD experts, was published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
The first section in the guidelines of care for AD focuses on:
- methods for diagnosing and monitoring the disease
- measurements for disease severity and quality of life
- associated conditions that commonly affect patients with AD
“This is the first guideline issued by the Academy that covers the diagnosis of a condition,” explains Dirk M. Elston, MD, FAAD, president of the Academy. “Misdiagnosis of atopic dermatitis is a concern, especially for adults, and can contribute to making the disease worse. These guidelines provide criteria for accurately diagnosing atopic dermatitis that differentiate it from other conditions with similar characteristics.”
Recommendations
Part 1 includes 3 recommendations culled from a comprehensive review of available data for diagnosing and managing AD:
- Monitoring of patients’ immunoglobulin E levels is not recommended because they do not correlate with disease severity.
- Physicians should ask their patients general questions about itch, sleep, impact on daily activity and persistence of the disease.
- Dermatologists should coordinate with other specialties when providing care for atopic dermatitis patients who have associated conditions that affect more than the skin, such as sleep issues, asthma, food allergies, ADHD and other psychological conditions.
The itch associated with AD can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life. “Children with persistent itching may experience sleep disruptions and problems focusing in school, which is why proper diagnosis and treatment is so important,” says Dr. Elston.
The next three sections, which will be published in 2014, focus on the management and treatment of atopic dermatitis with topical therapies, systemic agents, adjunctive therapies and the prevention of flares.
