Topical Anti-Inflammatory Treatments for Atopic Dermatitis

Clinical Question: Which topical anti-inflammatory treatments are most effective and safe for managing atopic dermatitis? Bottom Line: In a network meta-analyses, very potent/potent topical corticosteroids; tacrolimus, 0.1%; and topical Janus kinase inhibitors were among the most effective treatments for short-term control of atopic dermatitis symptoms, while phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors were among the least effective. Topical calcineurin inhibitors and crisaborole were associated with application-site irritation, and short-term topical steroid use was not associated with skin thinning. However, these findings were of low to moderate certainty, and longer-term data remain limited for many agents.