JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Mobile health apps may enhance treatment adherence and facilitate disease management at home. The Atopic App along with the online patient education program, Atopic School, provide an opportunity to improve adherence to AD management.

Objective:

To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the Atopic App mobile health intervention in managing of AD in children.

Methods:

A randomized controlled study in children with AD, divided into three groups: a control group without access to the app, an experimental observational group with the app, and an experimental interventional group with potential investigator supervision. Outcome measures included the SCORAD and the POEM scores. Statistical analysis used the paired t-test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and multiple regression.

Results:

All groups showed a significant decrease in SCORAD and POEM scores at visits 1 and 2. Usage of the app for 8 days showed a more significant decrease in SCORAD and POEM scores compared to those who used it for 7 days, or did not use it at all. Additionally, using the Atopic App for 8 days after the screening visit strongly predicted a decrease in both SCORAD and POEM scores. While, the time elapsed since the screening visit was a significant predictor of increased outcome scores, prescriptions of topical CNIs, oral antihistamines, and oral antibiotics were weak and insignificant predictors of changes in the outcome scores.

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate that Atopic app is helpful tool in managing AD in children and underscore the potential of mobile health interventions in the disease management.. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06412094