Overview

More than one-third of pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have moderate to severe disease, with large areas of dry skin, frequent itching, and skin redness, that strongly impedes daily routines and negatively affects their sleep, mental health, and overall quality of life along with significant impacts on families. Unfortunately, suboptimal assessment of AD in routine clinical practice can lead to delayed diagnosis, underappreciation of disease severity, and delays in treatment initiation, referral to specialists, and treatment intensification.

Although basic skin care and topical therapies can be very effective in treating mild cases of AD, patients with moderate to severe disease generally require systemic therapy to achieve long-term disease control. The discovery of the role of type 2 inflammatory pathways in AD has led to new concepts in AD pathogenesis, and subsequently, to novel treatment strategies. Yet evidence indicates that there is discordance between patients’/caregivers’ and clinicians’ perception of severity and disease burden, which may contribute to suboptimal treatment.

To improve evaluation, coordination of care, and treatment practices in pediatric patients with AD, clinicians in both primary care and specialty settings must continually assess and adapt to evolving diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to ensure proactive, patient-centric treatment to improve outcomes. To support translation and implementation of the latest evidence into routine clinical practice, this program provides participants with a personalized learning experience. Complete an initial assessment, receive individualized recommendations for education, and access tools and resources to develop an action plan for improving the care of pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis.

This educational activity is designed for pediatric dermatologists, pediatricians, dermatologists, allergists, and NPs/PAs in dermatology, allergy, family medicine, and primary care/pediatric settings.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disease, affecting up to 20% of children. In addition, up to 80% of children may experience AD symptoms into adulthood, suggesting that AD is a life-long disease. Beyond skin-related symptoms (eg, dry skin, rash, and itch), AD is often accompanied by comorbid asthma and/or other atopic conditions such as allergic rhinitis, and it can also be accompanied by a variety of systemic diseases, such as autoimmune disorders, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, nephritic syndrome, and metabolic diseases. However, of greater concern to pediatric patients  and caregivers is the significant impact of AD on quality of life. Frequently there is a disconnect between pediatric patients/caregivers and clinicians in perception of disease severity and disease burden, which may lead to delays in appropriate therapeutic intervention. Moreover, AD treatment can be challenging due to heterogeneity in its course and unpredictable individual trajectories, leading to suboptimal disease control even with effective therapeutic options for moderate to severe disease. Evidence also indicates that systemic therapy for moderate to severe AD in pediatric patients remains underutilized and large percentages of healthcare providers fail to adhere to treatment recommendations. Consequently, clinicians in primary care and specialist settings who treat pediatric patients with AD will benefit from this comprehensive education program covering disease burden, clinical features, assessment of disease severity, treatment recommendations, efficacy and safety of systemic therapies for moderate to severe disease, and patient cases demonstrating considerations for the individualization of therapy.

Upon completion of this activity, learners will be able to:

• Develop coordination of care practices to improve recognition, referral, and patient-centric management of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD)
• Interpret and apply the latest evidence for the systemic treatment of moderate-to-severe AD in pediatric patients
• Collaborate with patients and caregivers to incorporate patient-reported/caregiver-reported outcomes, preferences, and goals into individualized management plans
• Develop treatment algorithms to optimally initiate and sequence therapies for pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe AD

Provided by the Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning (ACHL).

Supported by an educational grant from Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.