Diagnostic Criteria for Atopic Dermatitis (AD)

Hanifin and Rajka Diagnostic Criteria for Atopic Dermatitis (AD)

Major criteria: Must have three or more of:

1. Pruritus

2. Typical morphology and distribution

• Flexural lichenification or linearity in adults

• Facial and extensor involvement in infants and children

3. Chronic or chronically-relapsing dermatitis

4. Personal or family history of atopy (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis)

Minor criteria: Should have three or more of:

1. Xerosis

2. Ichthyosis, palmar hyperlinearity, or keratosis pilaris

3. Immediate (type 1) skin-test reactivity

4. Raised serum IgE

5. Early age of onset

6. Tendency toward cutaneous infections (especially S aureus and herpes simplex) or impaired cell-mediated immunity

7. Tendency toward non-specific hand or foot dermatitis

8. Nipple eczema

9. Cheilitis

10. Recurrent conjunctivitis

11. Dennie-Morgan infraorbital fold

12. Keratoconus

13. Anterior subcapsular cataracts

14. Orbital darkening

15. Facial pallor or facial erythema

16. Pityriasis alba

17. Anterior neck folds

18. Itch when sweating

19. Intolerance to wool and lipid solvents

20. Perifollicular accentuation

21. Food intolerance

22. Course influenced by environmental or emotional factors

23. White dermographism or delayed blanch

Suggested Universal Criteria for Atopic Dermatitis (AD) by American Academy of Dermatology

A. Essential features; must be present and, if complete, are sufficient for diagnosis:

1. Pruritus

2. Eczematous changes that are acute, subacute, or chronic:

a. Typical and age-specific patterns

(i) Facial, neck, and extensor involvement in infants and children

(ii) Current or prior flexural lesions in adults/any age

(iii) Sparing of groin and axillary regions

b. Chronic or relapsing course

B. Important features that are seen in most cases, adding support to the diagnosis:

1. Early age at onset

2. Atopy (IgE reactivity)

3. Xerosis

C. Associated features: Clinical associations; help in suggesting the diagnosis of AD but are too nonspecific to be used for defining or detecting AD for research and epidemiologic studies

1. Keratosis pilaris/Ichthyosis/Palmar hyperlinearity

2. Atypical vascular responses

3. Perifollicular accentuation/Lichenification/Prurigo

4. Ocular/periorbital changes

5. Perioral/periauricular lesions

D. Exclusions: Firm diagnosis of AD depends on excluding conditions such as scabies, allergic contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, cutaneous lymphoma, ichthyoses, psoriasis, and other primary disease entities.