Exploring novel and evolved tools in atopic dermatitis diagnosis
TL;DR
The tools reviewed are promising adjuncts for differential diagnosis, endotyping, response prediction and monitoring, but few are standardized or prospectively validated; priorities for validation and equitable clinical integration are outlined.
Abstract
ABSTRACT Introduction Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disease and is clinically and biologically heterogeneous. Its diagnosis remains clinical, supported by validated criteria, with no single confirmatory test, yet the expansion of targeted systemic therapies has intensified the need for objective tools to support diagnosis and stratify patients. Areas covered This review summarizes the established clinical framework of AD diagnosis and the emerging tools intended to complement it: circulating and skin-derived biomarkers, minimally invasive tape stripping, the skin microbiome, instrumental barrier assessment, noninvasive biofluids, advanced optical imaging (reflectance confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography and line-field confocal OCT) and artificial-intelligence and digital tools, with attention to special populations. The discussion is informed by a multi-database search (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science) to 2026. Expert opinion Clinical diagnosis remains the reference standard, and the experienced clinician still outperforms any single test. The tools reviewed are promising adjuncts for differential diagnosis, endotyping, response prediction and monitoring, but few are standardized or prospectively validated; priorities for validation and equitable clinical integration are outlined.