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Introduction: So far, no definitive conclusions have been reached regarding the preventive effect of moisturizers on atopic dermatitis (AD). The variability in results may be due to differences in skin care methods, including bathing and washing, among studies and study design. In hot and humid Japan, bathing and gauze washing have been routinely practiced from the neonatal period, but this may impair the skin barrier function. To address this gap, we determined whether a combination of minimally invasive cleaning methods and moisturizing may prevent AD in infants in Japan. Methods: Mothers of children born between January and September 2019 were instructed in traditional skin care methods (control group; 132 subjects), and mothers of children born between January and September 2020 were instructed in a new skin care method combining less invasive washing and moisturizing (intervention group; 140 subjects). Mothers and babies with and without a history of allergy were recruited, and the incidence of AD at 1 year of age was investigated by questionnaire. Results: Skin care-related behaviors such as face washing, hand washing, and use of moisturizers were more frequent in the intervention group than in the control group. At 6 and 12 months of age, there was no difference in the incidence of AD between the two groups. However, for children born between January and March, the prevalence of AD at 12 months was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (2.9% vs. 21.2%, p = 0.0253). Conclusions: This study suggests that for children born during dry and cold seasons, strengthening the skin barrier function early in life through routine skin care with less invasive washing and moisturizing may prevent AD in Japan. Appropriate skin care practices for newborns and infants may vary in regions and environments.

Objectives We aimed to assess the unmet medical needs of young adult patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis by evaluating real-world treatment data. Methods We analyzed data on juvenile idiopathic arthritis in the 20-29 age group from the National Database of Designated Incurable Diseases of Japan, which records severe cases or those requiring high-cost medical care registered between April 2018 and March 2020. Results Overall, 322 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis transitioning to adulthood were included. A high frequency of methotrexate use was observed among all juvenile idiopathic arthritis subtypes. The frequency of methotrexate use at registration was significantly higher in patients with rheumatoid factor-positive polyarthritis and those with oligoarthritis or polyarthritis than in those with systemic arthritis. The historical use percentage of any biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug was ≥85% for all juvenile idiopathic arthritis subtypes. The proportion of patients with ≥2 biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug prescriptions was significantly higher in patients with rheumatoid factor-positive polyarthritis than in those with systemic arthritis. Conclusions High-cost drugs were necessary for many patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis transitioning to young adulthood and registered in the database. Further studies on the medical interventions and support for these patients are needed.