A Treatment Algorithm for Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis in Adults

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common and chronic inflammatory skin disease. Approximately 10% of adults with AD do not respond adequately to topical therapies and require phototherapy and/or systemic therapy.

To provide a patient-focused approach to the identification and management of adults with AD who require systemic treatment.

A working group of clinicians experienced in managing AD was convened to review and discuss current evidence on the identification and clinical management of adults with moderate to severe AD.

We propose a set of simple and practical clinical criteria for selecting candidates for systemic treatment of AD based on their response to first-line topical therapy and 4 clinical measures that are easily incorporated into routine practice. We also suggest a framework for evaluating systemic treatments according to attributes that are important from both a clinician's and a patient's perspective. An algorithm was developed proposing a pathway for treatment of moderate to severe AD in adults.

Adults with moderate to severe AD that does not respond adequately to topical therapies currently have few safe and effective treatment options. A clinical algorithm could help guide treatment decisions.