Development of a core outcome set for therapeutic clinical trials enrolling dogs with atopic dermatitis (COSCAD'18).

Background: For decades, the efficacy of interventions in clinical trials enrolling dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD) relied on heterogeneous evaluations of skin lesions and pruritus using unvalidated tools. Although some instruments for clinical signs were validated later, there was little impact on standardizing outcome measures resulting in difficulties in comparing treatment efficacy between trials and impeding meta-analyses.

Results: Participants in the Outcome Measures subcommittee of the International Committee of Allergic Diseases of Animals (ICADA) collaborated for two years to develop a core outcome set (COS) for canine AD, the COSCAD.

Percutaneous prick test irritant threshold concentrations for eight allergens in healthy nonsedated dogs in the USA.

Background: Percutaneous testing (PT) is preferred to intradermal testing in humans for the in vivo identification of allergen hypersensitivity, but the methodology has not been well described for use in dogs with atopic dermatitis.

Hypothesis/objectives: To identify the irritant threshold concentrations (ITC) of eight aeroallergens using a commercial prick test device in normal dogs.

Animals: Twenty healthy, privately owned dogs.

Effectiveness of regionally-specific immunotherapy for the management of canine atopic dermatitis.

Background: Canine atopic dermatitis is a common pruritic skin disease often treated with allergen immunotherapy (AIT). AIT in dogs traditionally begins with attempting to identify clinically relevant environmental allergens. Current allergen testing methodologies and immunotherapy techniques in dogs are not standardized.

Agreement between allergen-specific IgE assays and ensuing immunotherapy recommendations from four commercial laboratories in the USA.

Background: Canine allergen-specific IgE assays in the USA are not subjected to an independent laboratory reliability monitoring programme.

Hypothesis/objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the agreement of diagnostic results and treatment recommendations of four serum IgE assays commercially available in the USA.

Methods: Replicate serum samples from 10 atopic dogs were submitted to each of four laboratories for allergen-specific IgE assays (ACTT(®) , VARL Liquid Gold, ALLERCEPT(®) and Greer(®) Aller-g-complete(®) ).

Development and validation of the Canine Atopic Dermatitis Lesion Index, a scale for the rapid scoring of lesion severity in canine atopic dermatitis.

Background: The third iteration of the Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI-03) is the only tool rigorously validated for canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) lesion scoring. The CADESI-03 requires 248 evaluations, limiting its widespread use.

Hypothesis/objectives: The goal of the study was to develop and validate a practical method of grading CAD lesions that requires scoring only the frequently affected body regions.