Biologics for pediatric atopic dermatitis: A protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic pruritic inflammatory skin disease commonly occurring in children. The objective of this study is to evaluate the treatment of pediatric atopic dermatitis with biologics, as they have displayed immense promising results in several recent clinical trials on atopic dermatitis (AD). METHODS: We will conduct an extensive search for RCTs in several databases, including Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PubMed, from the inception of the study till 15th May 2022. The primary outcomes will be the proportion of patients with EASI 75/90/100 after 12–16 weeks of treatment. The secondary outcomes will include the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Investigator Global Assessment (IGA)0–1, body surface area (BSA), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores, and incidence of adverse reactions. All studies will be screened by two independent researchers. They will assess the risk of bias in the included studies according to the RCTs bias risk evaluation tool in Cochrane System Review Manual 5.1.0. Meta-analysis will be performed using RevMan V.5.3.0 software. RESULTS: The research results will provide a reference for the clinical application of biological agents in pediatric atopic dermatitis. CONCLUSION: We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of biologics in pediatric atopic dermatitis cases and provide evidence-based data for easy clinical application. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022319052 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#joinuppage).