ABSTRACT
At the present time, there is no single objective feature or investigation with which to define atopic eczema. There are certain clinical features characteristic of the disease but they are not always present. In addition, as in many disorders with a multifactorial etiology, there appears to be a spectrum of disease. At one end of the spectrum are patients with many recognized features associated with atopic eczema, but, at the other end, are patients with mild disease and only one or two of these features. Over the last two decades, there have been several meetings to attempt to define the clinical state of atopic eczema, but the best outcomes produced are lists of features, some of which have been termed major and other minor3,43. The problem is further complicated by the fact that the clinical features can vary in different age groups.
