Early intervention and disease modification in atopic dermatitis—the current state of the field and barriers to progress

Abstract Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory skin disease representing a major source of global disability burden. Disease‐modifying therapies are showing promise in chronic inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease with method and timing of initial treatment impacting long‐term disease outcomes. Whether disease‐modifying therapies, specifically those used as an early interventional approach, impacts disease course and comorbidity development in AD is not well‐understood. We reviewed the progress in disease modification strategies, emphasizing early intervention approaches in common (or proto‐typical) inflammatory diseases. Although more common in other fields, disease modification approaches are becoming increasingly investigated in dermatology, though studies in AD are lacking. Despite significant limitations in ongoing and completed studies, early data are promising and suggest that both the choice and timing of early intervention approach can affect long‐term disease course and comorbidity development. To best improve AD patient outcomes, more research is needed to further explore the impact of early disease‐modifying therapies. Future studies should focus on identifying the most effective approaches and extend the early results to a more inclusive set of comorbidities and longer‐term outcomes.