[Atopic dermatitis: which are the diagnostic criteria used in medical literature?].

Introduction: Diagnosis of atopic dermatitis currently relies on diagnostic criteria scales developed by Hanifin and Rafka in 1980 and by the "United Kingdom Working party" in 1994. Some authors have proposed: "AEDS" [sM1] and "Atopiform Dermatitis", which has led to the distinction between different sub-populations and the exclusion of certain diseases from the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis. The aim of our study was to collect the criteria retained in the scientific medical literature during the year 2002 for the definition of atopic dermatitis and to try to understand not only the interest but also the questions that the various definitions lead to.
Method: A PubMed research was launched with the key word "atopic dermatitis" from January to September of 2002. All the scientific articles either in French or in English were studied.
Results: Hanifin and Rafka's criteria were selected in 44 p. 100 of the scientific articles, and the "United Kingdom Working Party" criteria in 12 p. 100. Personal definitions were used in 21 p. 100 of the articles; these were based on the level of total and specific IgE or on personal clinical criteria. For twenty-three p. 100 of the authors, the definition of atopic dermatitis was not specified.
Discussion: There was not just one definition of atopic dermatitis. This may affect the interpretation of diagnostic or therapeutic papers concerning the disease, because there has been no proof that these definitions cover the same population of patients.