DIAGNOSTIC UTILITY OF DERMOSCOPY IN PEDIATRIC ATOPIC DERMATITIS

Abstract

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease in children, caused by genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. Its clinical manifestations are diverse, including exudative, erythematous-squamous, and lichenoid forms, with severity ranging from mild to severe. The SCORAD index is a standardized tool for assessing AD severity, combining objective signs (extent, intensity) and subjective symptoms (itching, sleep loss). However, minor skin changes may not be detected by clinical evaluation alone, highlighting the need for modern diagnostic tools. Aim of the study: To evaluate the diagnostic value of dermoscopy in atopic dermatitis in children by studying dermoscopic characteristics (morphology, vascular pattern distribution, scaling nature, and color) depending on clinical forms, age groups, and disease severity, and correlating these with clinical SCORAD scores. Materials and methods: This research explores the diagnostic potential of dermoscopy in evaluating atopic dermatitis (AD) in 60 children aged 4 months to 18 years, treated at the Department of Pediatric Dermatology, Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute. Dermoscopic features, including morphology, vascular structure distribution (homogeneous or heterogeneous), scaling patterns, and color of skin structures, were assessed across clinical forms (exudative, erythematous-squamous, erythematous-squamous with lichenification, lichenoid, and prurigo), age groups (infantile, childhood, adolescent-adult), and disease severity (mild, moderate, severe) using the SCORAD index. Quantitative analysis provided mean values and standard errors (M±m) for dermoscopic feature coefficients. Results: Findings revealed distinct dermoscopic patterns: severe and exudative forms were characterized by heterogeneous vascular distribution and yellow crusts, while mild and erythematous-squamous forms showed homogeneous vascular patterns and white scales. Age-related differences highlighted increased lichenification in older groups. Conclusion: Dermoscopy proved to be a reliable, non-invasive tool for enhancing diagnostic accuracy and monitoring AD progression in children.