title: Frequency of bathing in the management of atopic dermatitis: to bathe or not to bathe?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atopic dermatitis prevalence has increased in the developed world in recent decades, and effective management is vital to improve patients' quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, randomized, case-control study with a purposive sample of 28 children, aged 6 months to 10 years, diagnosed with atopic dermatitis. Participants received bathing instructions to be followed either daily or twice a week, with a follow-up duration of 2 weeks. Improvement of symptoms over time was measured using the SCORAD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis) tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall symptoms decreased significantly at follow-up compared with baseline (difference = 5.0938, confidence interval = 0.2116 to 9.9759) but the differences in scores before and after interventions were not statistically significant between the groups (difference = -1.0937, confidence interval = -5.9759 to 3.7884).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of bathing did not seem to play an important role in the management of atopic dermatitis. Clinicians should focus on the need for adequate skin hydration.
authors.affiliation: St Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA, USA Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA ioannis.koutroulis@drexelmed.edu.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Koutroulis
authors.affiliation: Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petrova
authors.affiliation: St Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA, USA Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kratimenos
authors.affiliation: Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaughan
mesh_terms: D001494:Baths; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: atopic dermatitis; bathing; eczema; frequency