Treatment-resistant atopic dermatitis: novel therapeutics, digital tools, and precision medicine

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent condition impacting up to 25% of children and 8% of adults worldwide. An estimated 20% of those with AD comprise a subset of patients with treatment-resistant AD, for whom traditional therapeutics and management strategies are unsuccessful. Physical symptoms significantly impact quality of life for patients and caregivers. The condition is chronic and may persist throughout the lifespan with recurrent episodes. Novel AD therapeutics offer new opportunities to resolve symptoms of treatment-resistant more effectively AD. Recently developed pharmacological agents were developed with an appreciation of AD as a heterogeneous condition. New advances include topical, oral, and injectable therapeutics with novel mechanisms of action. In addition, advances in clinical practice, including the application of digital tools, can promote a personalized medicine approach. For example, teledermatology for chronic conditions such as AD have been embraced by clinicians and patients; communicating symptoms via photographs can augment patient symptom trackers and aid trigger identification. Digital tools can also be used to increase medication adherence and improve patient/caregiver engagement. Integrating the above is a personalized medicine approach. Advanced therapeutics with novel mechanisms of action, integrated with digital tools, and trends toward patient-centered medicine can assist this chronic, heterogeneous condition via precision medicine and better treat treatment-resistant AD.