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The effectiveness of Janus kinase inhibitors in treating atopic dermatitis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
Arora Charan Jeet,
Khattak Fakhre Alam,
Yousafzai Mohammad Tahir,
Ibitoye Bukola Mary,
Shumack Stephen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
dermatologic therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1529-8019
pISSN - 1396-0296
DOI - 10.1111/dth.13685
Subject(s) - medicine , atopic dermatitis , meta analysis , janus kinase inhibitor , randomized controlled trial , janus kinase , dermatology , tofacitinib , systematic review , clinical trial , medline , rheumatoid arthritis , cytokine , political science , law
Primary studies have presented conflicting results on the efficacy of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors in treating atopic dermatitis. Hence, it is important to determine the summary effect of JAK inhibitors in order to guide the clinical application of this potentially beneficial drug. To determine the efficacy of JAK inhibitors in treating atopic dermatitis in all age groups. A systematic review with meta‐analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting on the effect of JAK inhibitors on the signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis were conducted. Six electronic databases, registries, and search engines (PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL], Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Clinical.gov, and WHO ICTRP) were searched from inception to September, 2019. The search terms include “atopic dermatitis,” “eczema,” and “Janus kinase inhibitor.” The search was restricted to humans. A total of 413 studies were identified through the database search and hand‐searching. After the selection process, five RCTs were included in this systematic review. A meta‐analysis of three studies showed that JAK inhibitors were effective in reducing Eczema Area and Severity Index ( P = .0001) and pruritus scores ( P = .0001). JAK inhibitors appear to be effective in treating atopic dermatitis. Future studies should aim to evaluate its cost‐effectiveness and availability to patients especially in developing countries.