Clinical examination and covariates
The medical history, comorbidities, and aggravating factors were chosena priori . The general medical history included the patient’s own
medical history, family medical history, and life-time record of
incidence of allergies, hay fevers, and asthmas. To determine the
severity of AD, accredited dermatologists evaluated Investigator’s
Global Assessment (IGA) and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores
of patients. The IGA rating was used to describe the overall appearance
of lesions at a given clinical visit, while the EASI score was used to
measure the extent of affected areas and severity of AD. In this study,
AD severity grouping was classified based on IGA ratings. IGA ratings of
1, 2, 3, and 4 were considered mild, moderate, and severe, respectively.
In terms of comorbidities, we collected patients’ information on the
prevalence of common non-atopic and atopic comorbid diseases. Patients
were also asked to identify the aggravating factors of AD from a
predetermined list provided by dermatologists. Additionally, several
health-related measurement scales, such as the weekly average Numeric
Rating Scale Itch Intensity (NRSI), Atopic Dermatitis Control Tool
(ADCT), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Hospital Anxiety and
Depression Scale (HADS), and Sleep Disturbance Scores (SDS) were
determined to comprehensively assess the pruritus intensity, AD disease
control, quality of life, and mental health. The patients’ treatment
plans for AD were also obtained for analysis.