38 0.36 0.74 TEWL [g/m2/h (SD)] 11.5 (3.4) 12.3 (4.4) 11.8 (2.8) 12.0 (2.0) 0.56 0.64 0.76 0.39 Staphylococcus aureus in the antecubital fossa [n] 6 7 6 6 1.0 1.0 0.19 0.21  Worst-affected eczematous area 8 10 8 8 0.63 NA 0.022 0.066 Topical corticosteroid use [n] 8 6 5 3 0.50 0.50 0.68 1.0 Antihistamine use [n] 5 3 6 4 0.50 0.50 0.082 0.17 a.u. arbitrary units, LMF ceramide-precursor lipids and moisturizing factors, NA not applicable, SCORAD SCORing atopic dermatitis, SD standard deviation, TEWL MEK162 solubility dmso transepidermal water loss aValues are this website expressed as means (SDs) unless stated otherwise b p values of ≤0.05

are statistically significant. The p values presented are for comparisons between pre- and post-treatment in the very good/good acceptability group [(1) versus (2)], comparisons between pre- and post-treatment in the fair/poor acceptability

group [(3) versus (4)], comparisons between the very good/good and fair/poor acceptability groups pre-treatment [(1) versus (3)], and comparisons between the very good/good and fair/poor acceptability groups post-treatment [(2) versus (4)] cThe odds ratio for very good/good acceptability of LMF moisturizer in female patients was 0.089 (95 % confidence interval 0.006–0.793) There were no inter-group differences in pre-use clinical parameters of age, the objective SCORAD score, pruritus score, sleep disturbance score, skin hydration, TEWL, topical corticosteroid use, oral antihistamine use, or acceptability of the previously used proprietary emollients. However, patients in the fair/poor acceptability group were more likely to have Staphylococcus aureus ID-8 colonization and to be female (odds ratio 13, 95 % confidence interval OICR-9429 concentration 1.7–99.4; p = 0.021). Following use of the LMF moisturizer, the objective SCORAD score, pruritus score, and sleep disturbance scores were lower in the very good/good acceptability group than in the fair/poor acceptability group. The mean objective SCORAD score improved (from 31.5 g/m2/h to 25.7 g/m2/h; p = 0.039) and skin hydration improved (from 30.7 a.u. to 36.0 a.u.; p = 0.021) in the very good/good acceptability group. When the data

were analyzed for the strength of the agreement of the rating of acceptability, the κ values were 0.338 (fair) for use of body wash and 0.118 (poor) for use of emollients before and after the trial. Neither result reached statistical significance, implying that there appeared to be no consistency in agreement (or preference). Patients who preferred the LMF moisturizer or moisturizing wash may or may not have come from the group of poor/fair acceptability of their previous emollient or body wash. Previously used products included emulsifying ointment, QV™, Johnson and Johnson, Sebamed®, and various other proprietary products. 4 Discussion AD is a chronically relapsing dermatosis characterized by pruritus, erythema, vesiculation, papulation, exudation, excoriation, crusting, scaling, and sometimes lichenification [1, 14].