Background
Atopic dermatitis (AD) also called atopic eczema, eczema, is a common chronic, inflammatory skin disease.1,2 It is characterized by pruritus, dryness, and inflammation. The chronic course of the disease and recurrent episodes impose a severe physical and mental burden on patients and their families. The incidence of AD is 10~20% in children and 5% in adults.3-5 AD usually begins in childhood with 90% of patients having an onset before age five.6 The occurrence of AD is mainly related to genetics, immune function, skin barrier function, some allergen triggers such as dust mites, pollen, food, synthetic fibers, woolens, sweat, sunshine, and infections, etc. In addition, non-immune factors such as stress, anxiety and other negative emotions can also aggravate AD.7-14 The diagnosis of AD is based on the clinical history and skin symptoms, other tests such as patch testing and food challenge test are also used.15,16 The worldwide diagnosis criteria are Williams Diagnostic Criteria from the UK and Hanifin-Rajka Diagnostic Criteria.17,18
The incidence of AD has been on the rise worldwide in recent years, and the treatment of AD has received continuous attention, with different countries and organizations issuing a series of guidelines and consensus recommendations on the management of AD.19 Although there are differences in treatment concepts and approaches to the management of AD for many factors such as different regions, dietary structures and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate and review the current guidelines to apply high-quality evidence available.
The objectives of this study were (a) to evaluate the existing guideline evidence for the management of AD in children, and (b) to evaluate the similarities and inconsistencies in recommendations of guidelines for the management of AD in children.