Assessing the severity of atopic dermatitis in clinical trials and practice

There is a tremendous need for accurate and reproducible scoring systems for the grading of skin disease to further the development of research and standards of care. There are presently greater than 60 measures that have been used to assess the severity of atopic dermatitis. These assessments vary considerably with respect to content, scale, instructions, validity, and concordance. This contribution reviews the available scoring systems of atopic dermatitis signs based on their design and merit in specific settings. These scores assess lesional intensity and/or extent, symptoms, disease course, and epidermal function. Scoring atopic dermatitis, Investigator Global Assessment, and Eczema Area and Severity Index are the most commonly used assessments of atopic dermatitis signs. Eczema Area and Severity Index has emerged as the preferred outcome measure of atopic dermatitis signs for use in clinical trials. Unfortunately, Eczema Area and Severity Index can be cumbersome in clinical practice. Itch intensity (visual analog or numeric rating scales) and Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure have emerged as the preferred patient-reported outcome in clinical trials. Clinicians’ gestalt global assessment of severity, Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure, and intensity of itch may be feasible for clinical practice.