Meta-analysis topic ideas in dermatology

Dermatology has a small number of high-volume diseases, such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and acne, where biologic and topical trials multiply, and a large number of less common conditions with very few trials. Because skin lesions can be seen and photographed, outcomes are often scored by the clinician or the patient, with a score that differs from trial to trial.

That makes outcome definitions the main practical issue. A dermatology review that fixes its outcome measure early, and pools only what is comparable, is easier to defend than one that lumps all skin scores together.

Find a dermatology topic that has not been done

SynthGap searches the published literature, checks each candidate against existing systematic reviews, and proposes topics with the primary studies behind them. Start on the Free plan: no card needed, and every run shows every topic it finds.

Where gaps tend to hide in dermatology

Newer targeted therapies in common diseases

Biologics and small-molecule inhibitors for psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata and hidradenitis suppurativa are compared in industry trials with few head-to-head studies. Safety and long-term outcomes are less explored.

Topical and procedural treatments

Lasers, microneedling, chemical peels and topical agents for scars, pigmentation and acne are studied in many small trials, often split-face designs that need their own analysis.

Skin cancer detection and prevention

Dermoscopy, teledermatology and artificial intelligence tools are tested in accuracy studies with very different reference standards and case mixes.

Skin of colour

Many trials and imaging studies enrolled few people with darker skin, so reviews that report how often they were represented, or that pool the subgroup, can be new.

Psychosocial and quality-of-life outcomes

Itch, sleep and mental health are measured alongside skin scores in many trials but pooled in few.

Outcomes and effect measures that pool well in dermatology

Binary clinician-rated response (PASI 75 or 90, IGA 0 or 1, EASI 75): risk ratios at a stated week, reported with the placebo response.
Continuous severity scores (EASI, SCORAD, DLQI): mean differences if the same scale is used, standardized mean differences otherwise, with the minimal important difference noted.
Itch intensity on a numerical rating scale: mean differences, noting the recall period (24 hours or a week).
Lesion counts in acne: percentage change from baseline or absolute change; do not pool the two as the same measure.
Sensitivity and specificity of dermoscopy or artificial intelligence tools: bivariate or hierarchical models, with the target condition and reference standard specified.

Common traps in dermatology reviews

Split-face and split-body trials analysed as if they were parallel groups, which ignores the pairing and misstates the uncertainty.
Treating different vehicle formulations of the same active ingredient as one intervention.
Photograph-based diagnostic studies that use selected, high-quality images that do not resemble clinical practice.
Pooling short placebo-controlled periods with long-term open-label extensions.
Mixing adult and paediatric atopic dermatitis trials, which differ in severity, dosing and endpoints.

Check before you commit

Before committing months to a topic, check that nobody has beaten you to it. Search PubMed with its systematic review filter, the Cochrane Library (Cochrane Skin has a long list of reviews), PROSPERO for registered reviews, and Epistemonikos. For psoriasis and atopic dermatitis biologics, expect several network meta-analyses and say what yours adds. Step-by-step guide.

Starting points to try in SynthGap

These are areas to explore, not claims that they are open. Some may already be well covered, and finding that out quickly is the point.

Treatments for acne scarring: lasers, needling and combination approaches
Representation of darker skin tones in dermatology trials and imaging datasets
Biologics for atopic dermatitis in children, by age band

Questions

How do I check whether a dermatology meta-analysis already exists?

Search PubMed with the systematic review filter, the Cochrane Library, PROSPERO and Epistemonikos, and note the date of the last search of the newest review.

Can I pool split-face trials with parallel-group trials?

Yes, but the analysis must account for the paired design in the split-face trials, for example by using a paired effect estimate. Otherwise the weights are wrong.

Is a diagnostic accuracy review in dermatology feasible?

It is, but plan for high heterogeneity: the reference standard, the lesion types and the image source differ widely. Use QUADAS-2 and a hierarchical model, and report the case mix.

Other specialties

This page is general methodological guidance, not medical advice, and it does not list specific unreviewed topics. SynthGap's suggestions are AI-generated from the published literature, so verify them before registering a protocol.