Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: PURPOSE/AIM: Remote clinical research has potential to increase study diversity, reduce costs for researchers and participants, and increase efficiency of studies. This study evaluates the reliability and feasibility of using SkinTracker, a mobile application, for remote AD severity assessment through mobile-app based photography and surveys. METHODS: This single-center observational study enrolled 28 participants (18 with AD and 10 healthy controls) in an eight-week hybrid clinical study. Participants completed bi-weekly tasks and submitted standardized skin photographs via the SkinTracker app, and clinic-based skin exams and digital single-lens reflex (SLR) photos were obtained at baseline and week 8. Eczema Area Severity Index and Investigator Global Assessment scores were assigned to the photographs by a grader. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to evaluate agreement between app-based, in-person, and SLR assessments for the 18 participants with AD. RESULTS: App-based AD assessment scores had excellent agreement with in-person scores, indicating the reliability of SkinTracker to assess disease activity remotely. Furthermore, all participants had high compliance and satisfaction with app-based activities, indicating that using SkinTracker for remote clinical research is achievable and even preferred by participants. CONCLUSION: Overall, these findings show that SkinTracker is both reliable and feasible for monitoring atopic dermatitis disease activity remotely.
Language: English
Subfield: Dermatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: Janssen Research and Development
OpenAlex ID: W4414612741