Abstract

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that commonly begins in early childhood and substantially impairs quality of life. Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) is a validated patient-reported outcome, whereas SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) is a widely used clinician-assessed severity index for AD. Methods: In this single-center observational analytical pilot study, 90 pediatric patients (1 month–15 years) diagnosed with AD, according to Hanifin and Rajka criteria, were recruited at Saint Constantin Hospital, Brașov, Romania (September 2025–February 2026). During one visit, caregivers and/or children completed the Romanian version of the POEM, and a dermatologist assessed disease severity using SCORAD. Demographic and clinical data were recorded. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons, linear regression, and correlation analyses (Pearson/Spearman) were performed (significance p < 0.05). The main objectives of the study were to translate and adapt the POEM questionnaire into Romanian for use in children with AD and to assess the relationship between POEM and SCORAD scores. Secondary objectives were to explore the influence of clinical and perinatal factors (sex, prematurity, mode of delivery, in vitro fertilization, breastfeeding) and the presence of other atopic diseases on AD severity. Results: POEM and SCORAD scores showed a strong positive correlation (rho = 0.841, p < 0.001), indicating that patient-reported symptom burden closely paralleled clinician-assessed disease severity. The presence of another atopic condition was independently associated with higher POEM (B = 4.31, p < 0.001) and SCORAD scores (B = 15.34, p < 0.001). No other demographic or perinatal factor showed a consistent independent association with disease severity. No significant independent associations were found for sex, age, prematurity, in vitro fertilization, or breastfeeding. Conclusions: This first Romanian pilot study in pediatric AD demonstrates a strong correlation between POEM and SCORAD and supports the concurrent use of POEM as a practical patient-reported tool alongside SCORAD in clinical practice, while recognizing the limitations of a relatively small cohort and single-visit design.

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