Classifying atopic dermatitis: protocol for a systematic review of subtypes (phenotypes) and associated...

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Epidemiology
• Genetics

Background:

• Atopic dermatitis presents with diverse clinical features, complicating diagnosis and treatment.
• Efforts to define uniform atopic dermatitis subtypes (phenotypes) aim to improve understanding of its aetiology, prognosis, and treatment response.
• Current consensus on atopic dermatitis phenotypes remains elusive regarding their definition, number, and validity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify and synthesize previously reported phenotypes of atopic dermatitis.
• To document the features used to define these phenotypes.
• To explore characteristics and clinical outcomes associated with identified phenotypes.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of Embase, MEDLINE, and Web of Science databases.
• Inclusion of cross-sectional, longitudinal epidemiological, and interventional studies on atopic dermatitis classification in humans.
• Independent title/abstract screening, data extraction, and quality assessment by two reviewers.

Main Results:

• The review synthesizes identified atopic dermatitis phenotypes and their defining characteristics.
• It analyzes the methodologies employed in deriving these phenotypes.
• Frequencies and descriptive statistics will be used to present findings.

Conclusions:

• This review provides a comprehensive overview of existing atopic dermatitis phenotypes.
• Findings will inform future research directions for refining atopic dermatitis classification.
• A clearer understanding of phenotypes may lead to improved diagnostic criteria and targeted therapies.