In atopic dermatitis (AD) clinical trials, baseline mean Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores have decreased across clinical trials conducted during the last decade.

Less severe AD at baseline tended to be associated with greater placebo response and less use of rescue medications in placebo arms.

Care must be used when comparing across trials or using meta-analysis techniques as intertrial differences in variables, such as baseline AD severity, limit the validity of indirectly comparing clinical trials.