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INTRODUCTION: Standard therapy for patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) typically includes topical therapies; however, patients with more extensive AD and/or AD refractory to topical therapy may benefit from systemic treatment. Ruxolitinib cream monotherapy has demonstrated superior antipruritic and anti-inflammatory effects versus vehicle in patients with mild to moderate AD, and long-term disease control with as-needed use. Here, efficacy/safety of 1.5% ruxolitinib cream through 52 weeks was assessed in a subset of patients with moderate and/or more extensive disease. METHODS: This post hoc analysis of TRuE-AD1/TRuE-AD2 included patients who, at baseline, had Investigators Global Assessment (IGA) score of 3, Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) ≥ 16, and affected body surface area (BSA) ≥ 10% (higher severity of disease threshold subgroup). Disease control and safety were assessed. RESULTS: Of 1249 patients in the overall population, 78 (6.2%) met all higher severity of disease threshold criteria (continuous-use vehicle-controlled period: 1.5% ruxolitinib cream, n = 32; vehicle, n = 13); 28 and 4 of these patients, respectively, continued as-needed 1.5% ruxolitinib cream during the long-term safety (LTS) period. At week 8 (continuous-use), IGA-treatment success (IGA 0/1, with ≥ 2-grade improvement from baseline) was achieved by 19/32 (59.4%) patients applying 1.5% ruxolitinib cream versus no patients applying vehicle. In the LTS period, those achieving clear/almost clear skin increased from 19/28 patients (67.9%; continuous-use: week 8) to 18/23 patients (78.3%; as-needed use: week 52) in patients applying ruxolitinib cream from day 1. Ruxolitinib cream was well tolerated, with few application site reactions, regardless of disease severity threshold. Efficacy and safety results were similar to the overall study population. CONCLUSION: Patients with AD who meet standard disease severity eligibility criteria for systemic therapy may achieve IGA-treatment success with clear/almost clear skin with continuous-use ruxolitinib cream, and maintain long term-disease control with as-needed ruxolitinib cream monotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03745638/NCT03745651.

Abrocitinib, an oral, once-daily, Janus kinase (JAK) 1-selective inhibitor, is approved for the treatment of adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). Abrocitinib has shown rapid and sustained efficacy in phase 3 trials and a consistent, manageable safety profile in long-term studies. Rapid itch relief and skin clearance are more likely to be achieved with a 200-mg daily dose of abrocitinib than with dupilumab. All oral JAK inhibitors are associated with adverse events of special interest and laboratory changes, and initial risk assessment and follow-up monitoring are important. Appropriate selection of patients and adequate monitoring are key for the safe use of JAK inhibitors. Here, we review the practical use of abrocitinib and discuss characteristics of patients who are candidates for abrocitinib therapy. In general, abrocitinib may be used in all appropriate patients with moderate-to-severe AD in need of systemic therapy, provided there are no contraindications, e.g., in patients with active serious systemic infections and those with severe hepatic impairment, as well as pregnant or breastfeeding women. For patients aged ≥ 65 years, current long-time or past long-time smokers, and those with risk factors for venous thromboembolism, major adverse cardiovascular events, or malignancies, a meticulous benefit-risk assessment is recommended, and it is advised to start with the 100-mg dose, when abrocitinib is the selected treatment option.

BackgroundEczema herpeticum (EH) is a rare complication of atopic dermatitis (AD) caused by disseminated herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. The role of rare and/or deleterious genetic variants in disease etiology is largely unknown. This study aimed to identify genes that harbor damaging genetic variants associated with HSV infection in AD with a history of recurrent eczema herpeticum (ADEH+).MethodsWhole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on 49 recurrent ADEH+ (≥3 EH episodes), 491 AD without a history of eczema herpeticum (ADEH-) and 237 non-atopic control (NA) subjects. Variants were annotated, and a gene-based approach (SKAT-O) was used to identify genes harboring damaging genetic variants associated with ADEH+. Genes identified through WGS were studied for effects on HSV responses and keratinocyte differentiation.ResultsEight genes were identified in the comparison of recurrent ADEH+to ADEH-and NA subjects: SIDT2, CLEC7A, GSTZ1, TPSG1, SP110, RBBP8NL, TRIM15, and FRMD3. Silencing SIDT2 and RBBP8NL in normal human primary keratinocytes (NHPKs) led to significantly increased HSV-1 replication. SIDT2-silenced NHPKs had decreased gene expression of IFNk and IL1b in response to HSV-1 infection. RBBP8NL-silenced NHPKs had decreased gene expression of IFNk, but increased IL1b. Additionally, silencing SIDT2 and RBBP8NL also inhibited gene expression of keratinocyte differentiation markers keratin 10 (KRT10) and loricrin (LOR).ConclusionSIDT2 and RBBP8NL participate in keratinocyte's response to HSV-1 infection. SIDT2 and RBBP8NL also regulate expression of keratinocyte differentiation genes of KRT10 and LOR.

IntroductionThe impact of crisaborole ointment, a nonsteroidal phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor for the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD), on quality of life (QoL) was assessed in two identically designed phase 3 studies (AD-301: NCT02118766; AD-302: NCT02118792, both at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov ).MethodsIn both studies, patients aged ≥ 2 years with mild to moderate AD per the Investigator's Static Global Assessment were randomly assigned 2:1 to receive crisaborole or vehicle twice daily for 28 days. QoL was assessed using the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) (2-15 years), the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) (≥ 16 years), and the Dermatitis Family Impact Questionnaire (DFI) (parents/caregivers/family of patients aged 2-17 years). Established QoL score severity bands provided clinical context.ResultsGreater mean improvement in QoL was observed in crisaborole-treated patients than in vehicle-treated patients at day 29 [mean change from baseline (∆BL), CDLQI: - 4.6 vs. - 3.0; P < 0.001; DLQI: - 5.2 vs. - 3.5; P = 0.015]. At baseline, more than half the patients had a "moderate effect" or higher of AD on QoL. At day 29, there was a trend toward more crisaborole- than vehicle-treated patients having "small effect" to "no effect", The QoL of parents/caregivers/family improved more for crisaborole-treated than for vehicle-treated patients (∆BL, DFI: - 3.7 vs. - 2.7; P = 0.003).ConclusionCrisaborole treatment results in clinically meaningful improvement in QoL for patients and their parents/caregivers/families.Trial registrationAD-301: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov , NCT02118766; AD-302: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov , NCT02118792.FundingAnacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., New York, NY.

Tapinarof cream 1% once daily (QD), a topical aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist, downregulates pro-inflammatory Th2 cytokines, upregulates skin-barrier components, and reduces oxidative stress. To assess tapinarof efficacy and safety in adults and children down to 2 years of age with atopic dermatitis (AD). Eight hundred and thirteen patients were randomized to tapinarof or vehicle QD in two 8-week phase 3 trials. The primary efficacy endpoint, Validated Investigator Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis score of 0 or 1 and ≥2-grade improvement from baseline at Week 8, was met with statistical significance in both trials: 45.4% versus 13.9% and 46.4% versus 18.0% (tapinarof vs vehicle; both P <.0001). Significantly superior Eczema Area and Severity Index 75 (EASI75) responses were also observed with tapinarof versus vehicle at Week 8: 55.8% versus 22.9% and 59.1% versus 21.2% (both P <.0001). Rapid improvements in patient-reported pruritus were also significant with tapinarof versus vehicle. Common adverse events (≥5%) of folliculitis, headache, and nasopharyngitis were mostly mild or moderate, with lower discontinuations due to adverse events in the tapinarof groups than with vehicle. Long-term efficacy was not assessed. Tapinarof demonstrated highly significant efficacy and favorable safety and tolerability in a diverse population of patients with AD down to 2 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abrocitinib, an oral, once-daily, Janus kinase 1-selective inhibitor, is efficacious in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis with a manageable long-term safety profile. Objective: We aimed to provide updated integrated long-term safety results for abrocitinib from available data accrued up to a maximum of almost 4 years in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis from the JADE clinical development program. Methods: Analysis included 3802 patients (exposure: 5213.9 patient-years) from the phase II monotherapy study (NCT02780167) and the phase III studies JADE MONO-1 (NCT03349060), JADE MONO-2 (NCT03575871), JADE TEEN (NCT03796676), JADE COMPARE (NCT03720470), JADE DARE (NCT04345367; 200 mg only), JADE REGIMEN (NCT03627767), and JADE EXTEND (NCT03422822; data cutoff 25 September, 2021). Data from patients receiving one or more doses of abrocitinib 200 mg or 100 mg were pooled in a consistent-dose cohort (patients were allocated to receive the same abrocitinib dose throughout exposure in the qualifying parent study and/or long-term study) or a variable-dose cohort (patients received open-label abrocitinib 200 mg; responders were randomized to abrocitinib 200 mg, 100 mg, or placebo, and could then receive abrocitinib 200 mg plus topical corticosteroids as rescue therapy). Incidence rates of adverse events of special interest were assessed. Cox regression analysis of risk factors for herpes zoster and serious infections was performed. Results: Overall, this safety analysis of long-term data up to a maximum of ~ 4 years of abrocitinib exposure does not indicate any changes from the previously reported risk profile. The most frequent serious infections (per Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities preferred term) with consistent-dose abrocitinib 200 mg and 100 mg were herpes zoster (0.5% and 0.2%), pneumonia (0.2% with either dose), and herpes simplex (0.1% with either dose). Risk factors for herpes zoster were a history of herpes zoster, abrocitinib 200-mg dose, age ≥ 65 years, absolute lymphocyte count < 1 × 103/mm3 before the event, and residing in Asia. For serious infections, > 100 kg body weight was a risk factor. Incidence rate/100 patient-years (95% confidence interval) with the consistent abrocitinib 200-mg and 100-mg dose combined was higher in older (aged ≥ 65 years) patients versus younger (aged 18 to < 65 years) patients for serious adverse events (17.6 [11.7‒25.4] vs 6.7 [5.8‒7.8]), malignancy excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (2.4 [0.6‒6.0] vs 0.1 [0.0‒0.4]), non-melanoma skin cancer (2.4 [0.6‒6.1] vs 0.2 [0.1‒0.4]), lymphopenia (3.5 [1.3‒7.6] vs 0.1 [0.0‒0.3]), and venous thromboembolism (1.7 [0.4‒5.1] vs 0.1 [0.0‒0.3]). Incident rate/100 patient-years (95% confidence interval) of non-melanoma skin cancer with the consistent abrocitinib 200-mg and 100-mg dose combined was higher in current/former smokers (0.9 [0.4‒1.6]) vs never-smokers (0.0 [0.0‒0.1]). Conclusions: This safety update showed a consistent profile for abrocitinib with no new safety signals and continues to support that abrocitinib has a manageable long-term safety profile in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Risk of specific adverse events was higher in certain patient populations, especially those aged ≥ 65 years. [Video abstract available.] Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02780167; study start date: April, 2016; primary completion date: March, 2017; study completion date: April, 2017. NCT03349060; study start date: 7 December, 2017; study completion date: 26 March, 2019. NCT03575871; study start date: 29 June, 2018; study completion date: 13 August, 2019. NCT03720470; study start date: 29 October, 2018; primary completion date: 27 December, 2019; study completion date: 6 March, 2020. NCT03796676; study start date: 18 February, 2019; study completion date: 8 April, 2020. NCT03627767; study start date: 11 June, 2018; primary completion date: 2 September, 2020; study completion date: 7 October, 2020. NCT04345367; study start date: 11 June, 2020; primary completion date: 16 December, 2020; study completion date: 13 July, 2021. NCT03422822; study start date: 8 March, 2018; study completion date: ongoing (estimated completion date: 31 January, 2026). Plain Language Summary: Abrocitinib is an approved treatment for people with moderate or severe atopic dermatitis, also known as AD or atopic eczema. Abrocitinib is a tablet that is taken by mouth once a day. This safety analysis looked at the side effects of treatment in a large group of adults and adolescents with moderate or severe AD who took abrocitinib up to a maximum of almost 4 years. This analysis also looked at which people were more likely to have certain side effects after taking abrocitinib. The results from this analysis were similar to those of previous safety analyses with abrocitinib, with no new side effects. Infections such as shingles, pneumonia, or herpes simplex can occur during treatment with abrocitinib. Shingles was more likely to occur in people who previously had shingles before taking abrocitinib, or who took the higher dose of abrocitinib (200 mg), or were 65 years of age or older, or had certain blood test results, or lived in Asia. People who are 65 years of age or older and took abrocitinib were more likely to develop some types of cancer, have certain abnormal blood test results, or develop blood clots in the veins than people with AD who were younger and took abrocitinib. Current or former smokers with AD who took abrocitinib were more likely to develop skin cancer (but not melanoma) than people with AD who took abrocitinib but have never smoked. This analysis further shows that abrocitinib had manageable safety in patients with moderate-to-severe AD. Dex5AhfAxs29XQspjFnxYi Video abstract: Integrated safety update of abrocitinib in 3802 patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: data from more than 5200 patient-years with up to 4 years of exposure (MP4 63720 KB) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD), a highly pruritic, inflammatory skin disease, affects approximately 7% of adolescents globally. A topical formulation of ruxolitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) 1/JAK2 inhibitor, demonstrated safety and efficacy among adolescents/adults in two phase 3 studies (TRuE-AD1/TRuE-AD2). Objective: To describe safety and efficacy of 1.5% ruxolitinib cream versus vehicle and long-term disease control of ruxolitinib cream among adolescents aged 12–17 years from pooled phase 3 study data. Methods: Patients [≥ 12 years old with AD for ≥ 2 years, Investigator's Global Assessment score (IGA) 2/3, and 3–20% affected body surface area (BSA) at baseline] were randomized 2:2:1 to ruxolitinib cream (0.75%/1.5%) or vehicle for 8 weeks of continuous use followed by a long-term safety (LTS) period up to 52 weeks with as-needed use. Patients originally applying vehicle were rerandomized 1:1 to 0.75%/1.5% ruxolitinib cream. Efficacy measures at week 8 included IGA treatment success (IGA-TS; i.e., score of 0/1 with ≥ 2 grade improvement from baseline), ≥ 75% improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-75), and ≥ 4-point improvement in itch numerical rating scale (NRS4). Measures of disease control during the LTS period included IGA score of 0 (clear) or 1 (almost clear) and percentage affected BSA. Safety was assessed throughout the study. Results: Of 1249 randomized patients, 245 (19.6%) were aged 12–17 years. Of these, 45 patients were randomized to vehicle and 92 patients to 1.5% ruxolitinib cream. A total of 104/137 (75.9%) patients continued on 1.5% ruxolitinib cream in the LTS period [82/92 (89.1%) continued on 1.5% ruxolitinib cream; 22/45 (48.9%) patients on vehicle were reassigned to 1.5% ruxolitinib cream], and 83/104 (79.8%) of these patients completed the LTS period. At week 8, substantially more patients who applied 1.5% ruxolitinib cream versus vehicle achieved IGA-TS (50.6% versus 14.0%), EASI-75 (60.9% versus 34.9%), and NRS4 (52.1% versus 17.4%; P = 0.009). The mean (SD) reduction in itch NRS scores was significantly greater in patients applying 1.5% ruxolitinib cream versus vehicle from day 2 [− 0.9 (1.9) versus −0.2 (1.4); P = 0.03]. During the LTS period, mean (SD) trough steady-state ruxolitinib plasma concentrations at weeks 12/52 were 27.2 (55.7)/15.5 (31.5) nM. The percentage of patients achieving IGA score of 0 or 1 was sustained or further increased with 1.5% ruxolitinib cream; mean affected BSA was generally low (< 3%; i.e., mild disease). Through 52 weeks, application site reactions occurred in 1.8% of adolescent patients applying 1.5% ruxolitinib cream at any time; no patients had serious adverse events. There were no serious infections, malignancies, major adverse cardiovascular events, or thromboembolic events. Conclusions: Meaningful anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects were demonstrated with 1.5% ruxolitinib cream in the subset of adolescent patients with AD, comparable with those observed in the overall study population; long-term, as-needed use maintained disease control and was well tolerated. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers NCT03745638 (registered 19 November 2018) and NCT03745651 (registered 19 November 2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) often experience a high disease burden and have a high risk of persistent disease. Standard-of-care immunosuppressive systemic treatments have been used off-label for AD in pediatric patients despite concerns for suboptimal safety with continuous use and risk of relapse upon discontinuation. The biologic agent dupilumab is the first systemic treatment approved for moderate-to-severe AD in children as young as 6 months. Long-term safety and efficacy data in this patient population are needed to inform continuous AD management. Objectives: The purpose of this work was to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of dupilumab treatment up to 1 year in an open-label extension (OLE) study [LIBERTY AD PED-OLE (NCT02612454)] in children aged 6 months to 5 years with moderate-to-severe AD who previously participated in the 16-week, double-blind, phase 3 LIBERTY AD PRESCHOOL trial (NCT03346434 part B; parent study) and were subsequently enrolled in PED-OLE. Methods: In PED-OLE, patients received dupilumab every 4 weeks according to a weight-tiered regimen (body weight ≥ 5 kg to < 15 kg: 200 mg; ≥ 15 kg to < 30 kg: 300 mg). Results: Data for 142 patients were analyzed, 60 of whom had completed the 52-week visit at time of database lock. Mean age at baseline was 4.1 y [SD, 1.13; range, 1.0–5.9 years]. A majority (78.2%) of patients reported ≥ 1 treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE), most of which were mild or moderate and transient. The most frequently reported TEAEs were nasopharyngitis (19.7%), cough (15.5%), and pyrexia (14.1%). One TEAE led to treatment discontinuation (severe urticaria, which resolved in 1 day). By week 52, 36.2% of patients had achieved an Investigator's Global Assessment score of 0/1 (clear/almost clear skin), and 96.6%, 79.3%, and 58.6% had at least 50%, 75%, or 90% improvement, respectively, in Eczema Area and Severity Index scores. Conclusions: Consistent with results seen in adults, adolescents, and older children (aged 6–11 years), treatment with dupilumab for up to 1 year in children aged 6 months to 5 years with inadequately controlled moderate-to-severe AD demonstrated an acceptable long-term safety profile and sustained efficacy. These results support the long-term continuous use of dupilumab in this patient population. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02612454 and NCT03346434 (part B). Plain Language Summary: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that often results in a high disease burden in young children and their families. Patients often need long-term treatment to control their disease symptoms, including itch and rash. Dupilumab treatment for 16 weeks has shown benefits in children aged 6 months to 5 years with moderate-to-severe AD, with an acceptable safety profile. As AD is likely to continue from childhood into adolescence and adulthood, there is a need for data supporting long-term use of dupilumab in young children. In this study, children who completed the 16-week study continued dupilumab treatment for up to 1 year, receiving 200 mg or 300 mg of dupilumab (depending on the child's bodyweight) every 4 weeks. Through the year of treatment, 78.2% of patients reported at least one side effect, most of which were mild or moderate. Only one patient interrupted treatment because of severe skin rash (hives), which was resolved in 1 day. At the end of the year, 36.2% of patients had clear or almost clear skin, and almost all (96.6%) achieved at least 50% improvement in their extent and severity of disease. Additionally, 79.3%, and 58.6% had at least 75% or 90% improvement in their extent and severity of disease. In summary, consistent with results seen in adults, adolescents, and older children, this study showed that 1-year dupilumab treatment provides continued benefits with an acceptable safety profile. These results support long-term continuous use of dupilumab in children aged 6 months to 5 years with moderate-to-severe AD. 5SqqskjZPmoHiNU8WnfbXp What is the long-term safety and efficacy profile in young children with moderate-to-severeatopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Ruxolitinib (selective Janus kinase [JAK] 1 and JAK2 inhibitor) cream demonstrated efficacy and safety in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) in the phase 3 TRuE-AD studies. In TRuE-AD1/ TRuE-AD2 (NCT03745638/NCT03745651), adults and adolescents with mild to moderate AD were randomized to apply twice-daily ruxolitinib cream or vehicle for eightweeks. Here, we evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of ruxolitinib cream by anatomic region, focusing on head/neck (HN) lesions that are typically difficult to manage and disproportionately affect quality of life (QoL). Materials and methods: Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) responses in anatomic regions were evaluated in the pooled population (N=1208) and among patients with baseline HN involvement (n=663). Itch, Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA), QoL, and application site tolerability were also assessed. Results: By Week 2 (earliest assessment), ruxolitinib cream application resulted in significant improvements across all EASI anatomic region subscores and AD signs versus vehicle, with further improvements through Week 8. Significantly more patients with HN involvement who applied ruxolitinib cream versus vehicle achieved clinically meaningful improvements in itch, IGA, and QoL. Application site reactions with ruxolitinib cream were infrequent (<3%), including in patients with HN involvement. Conclusions: These results support the use of ruxolitinib cream for AD treatment across all anatomic regions, including HN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Few large-scale international studies have broadly characterized the burden of atopic dermatitis (AD) across age groups among children and adolescents. Objectives To better characterize the AD burden in paediatric patients by disease severity. Methods This cross-sectional, web-based survey of paediatric patients (6 months to < 18 years old) was conducted in 18 countries representing North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East/Eurasia and East Asia. Patients with diagnosed AD were identified based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood criteria and self-/parent-report of ever being told by a physician that they or their child had eczema. AD severity was assessed using the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure and Patient Global Assessment. Outcomes included measures of itch, skin pain, sleep, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), missed school days and atopic comorbidities. Results The survey included 1489 children aged 6 months to < 6 years; 2898 children aged 6 to < 12 years; and 3078 adolescents aged 12 to < 18 years diagnosed with AD. Although the burden of mild AD was substantial, paediatric patients with moderate or severe AD had more itch, skin pain, sleep problems and impaired HRQoL, and missed more school days relative to those with mild AD; greater burden was observed among those with severe relative to moderate AD. At least one atopic comorbidity was present in 92.5% of all respondents. Conclusions These results highlight the burden of AD in paediatric patients, especially those with moderate-to-severe disease, and suggest the need for assessments that include the impact of AD on function and daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the utility of the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) to stratum corneum hydration (SCH) ratio in atopic dermatitis (AD). The study compares the performance of the TEWL:SCH ratio to TEWL and SCH alone in differentiating nonlesional skin in AD from healthy controls, differentiating disease severity in nonlesional AD skin, and identifying changes after emollient treatment in nonlesional AD skin. The results show that TEWL alone is the best indicator for distinguishing AD from controls and disease severity, while the TEWL:SCH ratio may be more sensitive to changes after emollient use. The study suggests that the TEWL:SCH ratio could be a useful measure in future dermatology trials. [Extracted from the article]

Background The Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative has agreed upon the Core Outcome Set (COS) for use in atopic dermatitis (AD) clinical trials, but additional guidance is needed to maximize its uptake. Objectives To provide answers to some of the commonly asked questions about using the HOME COS; to provide data to help with the interpretation of trial results; and to support sample size calculations for future trials. Methods and results We provide practical guidance on the use of the HOME COS for investigators planning clinical trials in patients with AD. It answers some of the common questions about using the HOME COS, how to access the outcome measurement instruments, what training/resources are needed to use them appropriately and clarifies when the COS is applicable. We also provide exemplar data to inform sample size calculations for eczema trials and encourage standardized data collection and reporting of the COS. Conclusions By encouraging adoption of the COS and facilitating consistent reporting of outcome data, it is hoped that the results of eczema trials will be more comprehensive and readily combined in meta-analyses and that patient care will subsequently be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Background Biologics and Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) are promising treatment options for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD)1; however, no studies, to our knowledge, have evaluated differences in characteristics of patients on these medications in a real-world setting. Objective This study sought to describe the demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and disease severity and patient-reported outcome measures of adult patients with AD initiating either a biologic or JAKi in the prospective, non-interventional CorEvitas AD Registry. Methods This cross-sectional study included patients initiating either a biologic (dupilumab or tralokinumab) or JAKi (abrocitinib or upadacitinib) in the CorEvitas AD Registry between 7/21/2020 and 7/31/2023. Patient characteristics were summarized at initiation of therapy using descriptive statistics, overall and by prior experience with biologic/JAKi therapy and systemic therapy (any registry-eligible systemic medication). Additionally, exploratory multivariable modified-Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with biologic vs. JAKi initiation. Variables were selected by first using bivariate regression, and covariates with p-values ≤0.15 were submitted to a backward selection process. Age, sex, and race were included in the final model for representation purposes. Results The study reported 1,958 initiations, with 1,604 biologic initiations and 354 JAKi initiations. The initiated medication was the first-line systemic among 86.4% of the biologic initiators and 40.7% of the JAKi initiators. Biologic initiators were slightly older than JAKi initiators (mean age 50.7 years, SD 18.5 vs. mean 47.9, SD 17.0 years), with no major differences in sex, race/ethnicity, education, or work status. Differences were seen in history of infections (32.7% in biologic initiators vs. 44.9% in JAKi initiators) and rosacea (12.1% biologics vs. 5.9% JAKi). Furthermore, biologic initiators had greater disease severity than JAKi initiators as measured by body surface area % involvement (mean 26.0, SD 20.2 vs. mean 18.3, SD 19.4), validated Investigator Global Assessment for AD (severe vIGA-AD™, 34.4% vs. 24.6%), Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI, mean 14.5, SD 12.0 vs. mean 10.7, SD 11.1) and SCoring AD (SCORAD, mean 48.2, SD 19.8 vs. mean 42.2, SD 20.1). Patient-reported outcomes were similar between groups. In adjusted analyses, factors positively associated with JAKi initiation compared to biologics included living in the Midwest US (vs. Northeast US, RR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.97), worst skin pain in 24 hours (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.09), and prior use of 1 or 2+ systemic therapies (vs. none, RR: 4.30, 95% CI: 2.29, 8.07 and RR: 5.49, 95% CI: 3.06, 9.84, respectively). Factors positively associated with biologic initiation included having a history of cancer (RR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.49), moderate vIGA-AD™ (vs. clear, RR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.98), hand involvement (RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.86), and worst itch in 24 hours (RR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94, 0.99). Conclusions In this real-world assessment, certain characteristics differed between adult patients with AD initiating either biologics which were most commonly first-line agents or JAKi (more likely used after other systemic agents), although some effect sizes were small and may not be clinically meaningful. Study limitations to consider include that characteristics associated with biologic or JAKi initiation may be influenced by timing of medication approval and availability. These foundational results highlight the importance of individualized patient assessment when deciding among different therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Background Clinical trials of up to 52 weeks showed that tralokinumab, a monoclonal antibody that specifically neutralizes interleukin-13, was efficacious and well-tolerated as monotherapy and combination with TCS. Objectives Here, we evaluate the long-term safety of tralokinumab in an integrated analysis of seven phase 3 parent trials (PTs) (NCT03131648, NCT03160885, NCT03363854, NCT03562377, NCT03526861, NCT03761537, NCT04587453), and the ongoing, up to 5-year extension study (ECZTEND; NCT03587805). Methods Two datasets were analyzed: placebo-controlled (initial 16-week period of the PTs), and all-tralokinumab combining PTs with ECZTEND including patients from first dose until end of tralokinumab exposure or data cut-off (April 30th, 2022). In the all-tralokinumab dataset, periods on placebo were disregarded. Treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) were recorded. AEs of special interest (AESIs) were predefined. Proportions of patients with events and incidence rates (IR) per 100 patient-years of exposure (PYE) were calculated. PYE was defined as time until first event or exposure end, whichever came first, and incidence was defined as first event. Results 2693 patients (≥12 years) received tralokinumab for up to 238.5 weeks (≈4.5 years) with a median exposure time of 76.5 weeks in the all-tralokinumab dataset. Median age at baseline was 33.0 years (min-max; 12-92). 10.4% of patients were 12-17 years. 2307 patients experienced an AE (IR=202.0), most (97.3%) of which were mild-to-moderate. Serious AEs (SAEs) were reported in 226 patients (IR=4.5); SAEs were considered possibly or probably related by the investigator in 50 patients (IR=0.9). No preferred term level SAEs were reported with an IR≥0.1. Discontinuation of treatment due to AEs was low (IR=2.8). AEs leading to drug withdrawal with an IR>0.1 were dermatitis atopic (IR=0.5) and injection site reaction (ISR) (IR=0.2). Frequently reported AEs in the all-tralokinumab dataset were consistent with the placebo-controlled dataset, including nasopharyngitis (IR=18.4), upper respiratory tract infection (IR=6.9), conjunctivitis (IR=5.0), ISR (IR=3.6), conjunctivitis allergic (IR=2.7), and injection site pain (IR=1.5). AESIs, including eye disorders, skin infections requiring systemic treatment, eczema herpeticum, and malignancies, were observed in the all-tralokinumab dataset at rates similar to or lower than the placebo-controlled dataset. Conclusion Long-term use of tralokinumab, for up to 4.5 years, was well-tolerated, and the pattern of AEs was consistent with the initial placebo-controlled treatment period with no new safety signals identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The decision to initiate systemic therapy (ST) in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) is complex, with no criteria that are globally agreed upon. To aid dermatology providers in this decision-making, the "When to Start Systemic Therapy Checklist" was developed. The checklist comprises three components: (A) clinical severity, (B) subjective burden, and (C) lack of treatment response, each with several criteria. Systemic therapy is indicated when at least one criterion in each component is fulfilled. Objectives To corroborate the validity of this checklist, we evaluated the agreement between the decision to initiate ST using the checklist, against the reference, CorEvitas AD Registry patients prescribed a ST. Methods Adults with moderate-to-severe AD from the prospective, longitudinal CorEvitas AD registry were included in this descriptive analysis (July 2020 – August 2023). Patients were included if they were initiating ST at enrollment (ST group) or not initiating ST at enrollment (non-ST group) but had vIGA-AD® ≥3 and Eczema Area Severity Index ≥12. The checklist criteria were compared against registry outcome measures; when a criterion did not match a measure, either a proxy measure was selected or that part of the questionnaire was excluded. Overall percentage agreement (accord between checklist criteria and ST initiation status [reference standard]) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was calculated. Results In the ST group (n=1488), 97.0% of patients met at least one criterion from section A, 94.1% from section B, and 92.1% for either section A or B. In the non-ST group (n=208), 100% of patients met at least one criterion from section A, 92.3% from section B, and 92.3% from either section A or B. Among patients in the ST group who met at least one criterion each from section A and B, overall percentage agreement was 81.7% (95% CI: 79.8%, 83.5%). Section C, which addresses "lack of treatment response" could not be evaluated due to the absence of relevant data in the registry. Conclusions Nearly all patients initiating ST met at least one criterion from both section A and B of the "When to Start Systemic Therapy Checklist", demonstrating a strong alignment between the checklist sections A and B and disease burden of AD patients in the registry. Subsequent research is needed to assess section C due to registry limitations. Future analyses should examine why some patients with high disease burden and severity remain untreated with systemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis is a common, chronic inflammatory dermatosis that can affect all age groups. This evidence-based guideline addresses important clinical questions that arise in its management. In this final section, treatments for flare prevention and adjunctive and complementary therapies and approaches are reviewed. Suggestions on use are given based on available evidence.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, pruritic inflammatory dermatosis that affects up to 25% of children and 2% to 3% of adults. This guideline addresses important clinical questions that arise in atopic dermatitis management and care, providing recommendations based on the available evidence. In this third of 4 sections, treatment of atopic dermatitis with phototherapy and systemic immunomodulators, antimicrobials, and antihistamines is reviewed, including indications for use and the risk-benefit profile of each treatment option.

Atopic dermatitis is a common and chronic, pruritic inflammatory skin condition that can affect all age groups. This evidence-based guideline addresses important clinical questions that arise in its management. In this second of 4 sections, treatment of atopic dermatitis with nonpharmacologic interventions and pharmacologic topical therapies are reviewed. Where possible, suggestions on dosing and monitoring are given based on available evidence.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, pruritic, inflammatory dermatosis that affects up to 25% of children and 2% to 3% of adults. This guideline addresses important clinical questions that arise in the management and care of AD, providing updated and expanded recommendations based on the available evidence. In this first of 4 sections, methods for the diagnosis and monitoring of disease, outcomes measures for assessment, and common clinical associations that affect patients with AD are discussed. Known risk factors for the development of disease are also reviewed.

The article discusses the adoption and use of the vIGA-AD scale, a validated scale for measuring the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD). The scale was developed in 2016 to provide a standardized and representative measure of AD severity. The study analyzed data from ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed to assess the scale's uptake in the AD research community. The results showed an increase in the proportion of studies and publications using the vIGA-AD scale over the years. The article also highlights the limitations of the scale and suggests using it in combination with other outcome measures. The authors conclude that the vIGA-AD scale has been widely adopted by researchers and sponsors as a validated measure of AD severity. [Extracted from the article]

Therapeutic options for people with moderate or severe atopic dermatitis refractory to topical therapy have rapidly expanded in recent years. These new targeted immunomodulatory agents—biologics and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors—have each demonstrated high levels of efficacy and acceptable safety in mostly placebo-controlled clinical trials for atopic dermatitis, but there is no universally applicable algorithm to help choose between them for a given patient. Hence, patients and physicians should utilize shared decision making, discussing efficacy, safety, mode of delivery, monitoring, costs, speed of onset, and other factors to reach individualized treatment decisions. In this review, we try to aid shared decision making by summarizing the efficacy, safety, and monitoring of biologics and oral JAK inhibitors for adults with atopic dermatitis. Network meta-analyses suggest that higher doses of abrocitinib and upadacitinib are more effective than biologics. They also show that, among biologics, dupilumab is likely more effective than tralokinumab and lebrikizumab. Biologics are generally considered safer than JAK inhibitors, although concerns about JAK inhibitors are mainly extrapolated from older generation JAK inhibitors used in higher-risk populations. We also outline evidence and considerations for choosing and using systemic immunomodulatory treatments for special populations including pregnant individuals, those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and C, end stage kidney disease, and older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Investigator's Global Assessment of clear/almost clear skin (IGA 0/1) is a difficult endpoint to achieve after short-term treatment of chronic moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, and does not fully reflect clinically meaningful changes in other parameters. We assessed the impact of tralokinumab versus placebo on other clinically meaningful parameters in patients not achieving IGA 0/1 at week 16 using pooled data from two monotherapy phase III trials, ECZTRA 1 and 2. Methods: This post hoc analysis included patients (n = 1328) from ECZTRA 1 and 2 who did not achieve the co-primary endpoint, IGA 0/1 at week 16 without rescue medication. Endpoints evaluating atopic dermatitis extent and severity included proportions of patients achieving IGA 0/1, 50%, 75%, and 90% improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI-50/75/90); endpoints evaluating patient-reported outcomes included a ≥ 3-point improvement in worst daily pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), a ≥ 3-point improvement in eczema-related sleep interference (sleep) NRS, a ≥ 4-point improvement in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and DLQI ≤ 5. Specifically, clinically meaningful responses were defined as EASI-50, a ≥ 3-point improvement in itch NRS, or a ≥ 4-point improvement in DLQI at week 16. Results: Among ECZTRA 1 and 2 patients who did not achieve IGA 0/1 at week 16 without rescue medication, a significantly greater proportion of patients receiving tralokinumab versus placebo achieved EASI-50 (33.0% vs 13.0%), a ≥ 3-point improvement in itch NRS (22.6% vs 9.4%), or a ≥ 4-point improvement in DLQI (41.2% vs 24.5%) at week 16. In addition, compared with placebo, a numerically greater proportion of tralokinumab-treated patients achieved all three measures of clinically meaningful response (30% vs 18%) or a clinically meaningful change in at least one outcome (48.8% vs 28.5%). Significantly greater proportions of patients receiving tralokinumab versus placebo achieved additional clinician-reported and patient-reported outcomes, such as EASI-75 (13.5% vs 4.1%), EASI-90 (3.5% vs 1.1%), DLQI ≤ 5 (22.5% vs 12.5%), and a ≥ 3-point improvement in sleep NRS (24.5% vs 11.5%). Conclusions: Tralokinumab provided clinically meaningful responses in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis who did not achieve IGA 0/1 at week 16 and/or used rescue medication. Using multiple validated outcome measures of both efficacy and quality of life, alongside IGA scores, can better characterize tralokinumab treatment responses in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. [Video abstract available] Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03131648 (ECZTRA 1); study start date: 30 May, 2017; primary completion date: 7 August, 2018; study completion date: 10 October, 2019. NCT03160885 (ECZTRA 2); study start date: 12 June, 2017; primary completion date: 4 September, 2019; study completion date: 14 August, 2019. 6QcTdZHHiWG8xHjHtHEVo6 Video abstract: Tralokinumab provides clinically meaningful responses at week 16 in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis who do not achieve IGA 0/1 (MP4 362818 KB) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic, relapsing, and remitting inflammatory skin disorder associated with cutaneous dysbiosis. Current treatment options often fail to adequately control the disease and have unfavorable safety profiles. There is a need for new options that address these treatment shortcomings. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of FB-401, a live therapeutic product of 3 strains of Roseomonas mucosa, compared to matching placebo applied topically 3 times per week to participants ages ≥2 years of age with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was conducted. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with 50% improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index score from baseline at week 16. 154 subjects aged 2 or older with a clinical diagnosis of atopic dermatitis as defined by Hanifin and Rajka criteria with mild or moderate severity were randomized 1:1 via interactive web response system to FB-401 or placebo. Results: The proportion of subjects who achieved the primary outcome was similar between both treatment groups, with no significant treatment group differences observed at any post-baseline visit. The number of treatment-emergent adverse events and the number of subjects with at least one were similar across treatment groups. One serious adverse event not related to treatment was reported. No treatment-emergent adverse events led to treatment discontinuation or study discontinuation. Conclusions: FB-401 showed an acceptable safety profile but failed to prove superior to placebo in treating children and adults with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treat‐to‐target (T2T) is a pragmatic therapeutic strategy being gradually introduced into dermatology after adoption in several other clinical areas. Atopic dermatitis (AD), one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases, may also benefit from this structured and practical therapeutic approach. We aimed to evaluate existing data regarding the T2T approach in dermatology, with a specific focus on AD, as well as the views of International Eczema Council (IEC) members on the potential application of a T2T approach to AD management. To do so, we systematically searched for peer‐reviewed publications on the T2T approach for any skin disease in the PubMed and Scopus databases up to February 2022 and conducted a survey among IEC members regarding various components to potentially include in a T2T approach in AD. We identified 21 relevant T2T‐related reports in dermatology, of which 14 were related to psoriasis, five to AD, one for juvenile dermatomyositis and one for urticaria. In the IEC member survey, respondents proposed treatable traits (with itch, disease severity and sleep problems getting the highest scores), relevant comorbidities (with asthma being selected most commonly, followed by anxiety and depression in adults), recommended specialists that should define the approach in AD (dermatologists, allergists and primary care physicians were most commonly selected in adults), and applicable assessment tools (both physician‐ and patient‐reported), in both adult and paediatric patients, for potential future utilization of the T2T approach in AD. In conclusion, while the T2T approach may become a useful tool to simplify therapeutic goals and AD management, its foundation in AD is only starting to build. A multidisciplinary approach, including a wide range of stakeholders, including patients, is needed to further define the essential components needed to utilize T2T in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the evaluation of the Atopic Dermatitis Control Tool (ADCT), a patient-reported outcome instrument used to assess patient-perceived disease control in atopic dermatitis (AD). The study found that the ADCT had strong internal consistency and construct validity in both adult and adolescent populations. It suggests that the ADCT can improve patient-clinician communication and inform disease-management decisions. However, the small sample size limits the generalizability of the findings. The article also mentions that B.L. is involved with several pharmaceutical companies in various capacities, which may be relevant for patrons researching pharmaceutical companies and their collaborations with medical professionals. [Extracted from the article]

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-023-01061-4.Publisher Correction to: Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) (2024) 14:261–270https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-023-01061-4The infographic was missing from this article and should have appeared as below.InfographicGraphThe original article has been corrected.By Eric L. Simpson; Ben Lockshin; Lara Wine Lee; Zhen Chen; Moataz Daoud and Andrew KorotzerReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]