APADtf
Asia-Pacific Atopic Dermatitis Task Force

Mission

To develop region-specific guidelines for the management and treatment of Atopic Dermatitis (AD) that accurately reflect the unique cultural, environmental, and genetic factors influencing the disease within Asian-Pacific populations.

Founding Context

The initial meeting on December 1, 2025, underscored a critical need: existing global AD guidelines often fail to fully account for the diverse presentations, co-morbidities (such as the overlap with psoriasis in the Asian context), and specific treatment challenges faced by patients in Asia. The task force was formed to fill this critical gap and improve patient care across the region.

1. Guideline Development and Structure

• Comprehensive Review:
  Systematically review existing global literature and region-specific publications on AD and pediatric dermatology to establish a baseline of evidence.
• Structure:
  The final guidelines will be structured to cover the entire patient journey, including:
  • Prevention
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment (including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic modalities)
  • Recurrence Prevention
• Highlighting Peculiarities:
  Specifically address and integrate findings related to the unique manifestations of AD in Asian patients, including genetic variations and co-existing conditions (e.g., the AD-psoriasis overlap).

2. Regional Data Collection and Consensus

• Delphi Surveys:
  Utilize Delphi survey methodology to systematically gather, refine, and achieve consensus on expert opinions from a broad panel of clinicians and researchers across various Asia-Pacific countries.
• Expert Expansion:
  The task force is actively expanding its membership beyond the founding members to include representatives from a wider array of Asian nations (e.g., Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Dubai, and Kuwait). This ensures the guidelines are truly representative of the diverse region.

3. Collaborative Framework and Dissemination

• Collaboration:
  Divide the guideline drafting work among various sub-groups, ensuring balanced representation and contribution from different countries.
• Communication Platform:
  Establish a dedicated mini-website and collaborative tools to streamline communication, share relevant literature (mini-library), and manage the workflow of the guideline development process.

• Eung Ho CHOI, South-Korea
• Sandipan DHAR, India
• Maria Victoria DIZON, The Philippines
• Kenji KABASHIMA, Japan
• 이동훈, (Dong Hun LEE), South-Korea
• Ji-Hyun LEE, South-Korea
• Kin Fon LEONG, Malaysia
• Lin MA, China
• John C. SU, Australia
• Yong Kwang TAY, Singapore

➜ Scope