AIM: Ustekinumab, a human monoclonal IgG1 antibody targeting the p40-subunit 
shared by interleukin (IL)12 and IL-23, represents a potential treatment for 
atopic dermatitis (AD). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ustekinumab in 
the treatment of AD.
METHODS: We reviewed the published literature by searching from PubMed, EMBASE, 
Web of Science and ClinicalTrial.gov then retrieved and analyzed several 
variables from patients records.
RESULTS: Ten studies including eight cases and two RCT, comprising 107 patients, 
were included in the systematic review. Analysis all studies, a total of 58 
patients (54.2%) gained an effective treatment with little adverse events.
CONCLUSIONS: Ustekinumab is a well-tolerated and safe treatment with no 
significant difference in effect from placebo in patients with AD. Further, 
larger randomized controlled trials need to be conducted to identify a suitable 
regimen for AD and provide more evidence for clinical application.