Exploring the Effect of Nice Guidelines on Prescribing for Childhood Atopic Eczema in Primary Care with An Interrupted Time Series

IntroductionAtopic eczema (AE) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting 20-32% of UK children, typically diagnosed and treated in primary care. National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2007) guidelines recommend all children presenting with AE in primary care are prescribed emollient; topical corticosteroids (TCS) are co-prescribed if indicated by severity. The proportion of children receiving recommended treatment and NICE guideline impact on prescribing practices is unknown. This study was the first to access population-level UK-wide primary care dermatology data from SystmOne. Objectives and ApproachWe explored treatment patterns for childhood AE documented in primary care data from SystmOne. Secondary analysis of retrospective, longitudinal primary care data for childhood (