A guide to improving the design and analysis of observational studies on the long-term safety of topical corticosteroids

Despite a long track-record of use, patients and clinicians continue to have concerns about the safety of topical corticosteroids (TCS). Observational studies in routinely collected health data provide an opportunity to address those concerns but are challenging to conduct in a way that minimizes bias and confounding. We review challenges and potential solutions for the conduct of observational studies on the long-term safety of TCS.