JAMA Dermatol

AI-enabled wearable reduces nocturnal scratching in atopic dermatitis

February 7, 2025

An AI-enabled wearable sensor offers a promising nonpharmacological intervention for managing nocturnal scratching in atopic dermatitis patients. These findings warrant further investigation through randomized controlled trials to confirm efficacy and explore broader clinical applications.

Study details: This single-arm, two-stage cohort study evaluated the efficacy of an AI-enabled wearable sensor with haptic feedback for reducing nocturnal scratching in patients with mild atopic dermatitis. Conducted at Northwestern University, the study involved 10 adult participants who wore the device for 14 nights—7 nights for baseline data collection and 7 nights with haptic feedback activated.

Results: Mean nightly scratch events decreased by 28% (from 45.6 to 32.8; P = 0.03), and mean scratch duration per hour of sleep opportunity was halved (from 15.8 to 7.9 seconds; P = 0.01) when haptic feedback was activated. No participants were lost to follow-up, and total sleep opportunity remained unaffected.

Source:

Yang AF, et al. (2025, February 5). JAMA Dermatol. Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Wearable Devices and Nocturnal Scratching in Mild Atopic Dermatitis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39908036/