Outcomes from a global–national partnership

Despite the high global burden of atopic dermatitis (AD), epidemiological data from the Middle East remain limited. The Global Atopic Dermatitis Atlas (GADA) seeks to address these inequities through collaboration with national initiatives such as the Lebanese Registry for Atopic Dermatitis (LebRAD), supporting improved regional and global understanding of AD. GADA and LebRAD aim to establish an interoperable, scalable and standardized AD register platform that can be implemented worldwide. The register seeks to characterize the population with AD through harmonized data collection on disease phenotypes, severity, progression, quality-of-life impact and treatment outcomes. LebRAD is a prospective, observational register enrolling patients from six university hospitals and private clinics across Lebanon. Participants of all ages with a physician-confirmed diagnosis of AD, based on the American Academy of Dermatology diagnostic criteria, are followed longitudinally at baseline and at 6-month intervals over 18 months. Data are captured using the GADA electronic case report form system, developed in collaboration with the LebRAD team. After 18 months of recruitment, 115 patients were enrolled (56.5% male, 67.8% paediatric). The most prevalent AD phenotype was flexural (n = 74, 64.3%). The median Eczema Area and Severity Index score was 3.20 [interquartile range (IQR) 1.55–6.65; range 0.2–21.2]. Among adults, the median Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 6 (IQR 4–12), indicating that AD is moderately affecting their quality of life. Paediatric patients reported a median Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index score of 5 (IQR 2.5–9) and an Infants’ Dermatitis Quality of Life Index score of 3.0 (IQR 2–5), reflecting a small quality-of-life impact. The LebRAD pilot demonstrates the feasibility of implementing the GADA platform to establish a national register in a region with limited epidemiological data. Preliminary results reveal common AD phenotypes and quality-of-life impact. This collaboration supports a scalable model for improving global representation of AD data, particularly in under-represented regions.

Abstract from Crossref