Summary This article is a report of the fourth meeting of the Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative held in Malmö, Sweden on 23–24 April 2015 (HOME IV). The aim of the meeting was to achieve consensus over the preferred outcome instruments for measuring patient‐reported symptoms and quality of life for the HOME core outcome set for atopic eczema (AE). Following presentations, which included data from systematic reviews, consensus discussions were held in a mixture of whole group and small group discussions. Small groups were allocated a priori to ensure representation of different stakeholders and countries. Decisions were voted on using electronic keypads. For the patient‐reported symptoms, the group agreed by vote that itch, sleep loss, dryness, redness/inflamed skin and irritated skin were all considered essential aspects of AE symptoms. Many instruments for capturing patient‐reported symptoms were discussed [including the Patient‐Oriented SCOring Atopic Dermatitis index, Patient‐Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), Self‐Administered Eczema Area and Severity Index, Itch Severity Scale, Atopic Dermatitis Quickscore and the Nottingham Eczema Severity Score] and, by consensus, POEM was selected as the preferred instrument to measure patient‐reported symptoms. Further work is needed to determine the reliability and measurement error of POEM. Further work is also required to establish the importance of pain/soreness and the importance of collecting information regarding the intensity of symptoms in addition to their frequency. Much of the discussion on quality of life concerned the Dermatology Life Quality Index and Quality of Life Index for Atopic Dermatitis; however, consensus on a preferred instrument for measuring this domain could not be reached. In summary, POEM is recommended as the HOME core outcome instrument for measuring AE symptoms.

Summary This is the report from the fifth meeting of the Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema initiative (HOME V). The meeting was held on 12–14 June 2017 in Nantes, France, with 81 participants. The main aims of the meeting were (i) to achieve consensus over the definition of the core domain of long‐term control and how to measure it and (ii) to prioritize future areas of research for the measurement of the core domain of quality of life (QoL) in children. Moderated whole‐group and small‐group consensus discussions were informed by presentations of qualitative studies, systematic reviews and validation studies. Small‐group allocations were performed a priori to ensure that each group included different stakeholders from a variety of geographical regions. Anonymous whole‐group voting was carried out using handheld electronic voting pads according to predefined consensus rules. It was agreed by consensus that the long‐term control domain should include signs, symptoms, quality of life and a patient global instrument. The group agreed that itch intensity should be measured when assessing long‐term control of eczema in addition to the frequency of itch captured by the symptoms domain. There was no recommendation of an instrument for the core outcome domain of quality of life in children, but existing instruments were assessed for face validity and feasibility, and future work that will facilitate the recommendation of an instrument was agreed upon.

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Background The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between atopic dermatitis (AD) and other common chronic health conditions in adults. Methods A cross-sectional survey was sent to a randomly selected population sample of 78,004 adults in Sweden. The questionnaires included measures of self-reported physical and mental health. Binary and multinomial logistic regression were used to examine the associations of AD with common chronic health conditions and psychological wellbeing. Results AD was self-reported by 4,175 respondents, representing almost 14% of the study population of 34,313 adults. Our results showed positive associations between AD and chronic health disorders, including conditions of the oral cavity: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30 to 1.92), asthma (aOR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.91 to 2.38), mild recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms (adjusted relative risk ratio [aRRR] = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.64 to 1.92), high blood pressure (aOR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.26), obesity (aOR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.23 to 1.47), mild joint pain (aRRR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.35 to 1.61), mild headache or migraine (aRRR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.38 to 1.64), caries (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.49), bleeding gums (aOR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.38 to 2.08), periodontitis (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.77), sensitive teeth (aOR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.35 to 1.82), and dry mouth (aOR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.33 to 1.74). Adjustment for asthma and depression attenuated the magnitude of the associations between AD and the study outcomes. AD was also associated with poorer general psychological wellbeing. Conclusions Adults reporting AD may be at increased risk of chronic disorders and decreased psychological wellbeing. Physicians should recognize that individuals with severe AD and those with comorbid asthma or depression may be especially vulnerable.

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