Connected Health May Match In-Person AD Care

A randomized clinical trial found that a team-based connected health model achieved equivalent improvements in atopic dermatitis severity and symptoms compared with conventional in-person care over 12 months.

By
Andrea Surnit
July 9, 2026
3 min

Conexiant

Overview

A randomized clinical trial demonstrated that a team-based connected health model for atopic dermatitis (AD) provided improvements in disease severity and symptoms comparable to conventional in-person care over 12 months. The study involved 300 patients and showed equivalent outcomes in both care models.

Background

The management of atopic dermatitis is critical due to its chronic nature and impact on quality of life. Recent guidelines emphasize structured, evidence-based approaches for both pediatric and adult populations. The shift to connected health models, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has prompted investigations into their efficacy compared to traditional in-person care.

Data Highlights

Outcome Measure	Connected Health	In-Person Care
Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI)	Equivalent improvement	Equivalent improvement
Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM)	Equivalent improvement	Equivalent improvement
Validated Investigator Global Assessment (vIGA)	Equivalent improvement	Equivalent improvement
In-person visits	6 patients	2.4 visits per participant

Key Findings

The connected health model demonstrated equivalent improvements in EASI compared to in-person care.
Patient-reported symptoms measured by POEM showed similar outcomes across both care models.
Physician-assessed disease severity via vIGA also met equivalence criteria.
Only six patients in the connected health group required in-person visits, compared to an average of 2.4 in the conventional group.
Safety outcomes were comparable, with no serious adverse events related to the interventions.
High participant retention was noted, with over 95% completing follow-up assessments.

Clinical Implications

The findings suggest that a team-based connected health model can effectively manage atopic dermatitis, potentially expanding access to care. Clinicians may consider integrating such models into practice to enhance patient management while reducing the need for in-person visits.

Conclusion

This study indicates that connected health models can achieve clinical outcomes similar to traditional care for atopic dermatitis, supporting their use as a viable alternative in patient management.