In recent years, the category of atopic dermatitis (AD) has been updated in domestic and foreign guidelines, and elderly AD has been added as a subtype. The pathogenesis of elderly AD is related to heredity, skin barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation and lifestyle. Most elderly AD patients have atypical clinical symptoms, and misdiagnosis is very common. To fully understand the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of elderly AD, and to formulate individualized diagnosis and treatment plans based on clinical characteristics, are particularly important for improving the quality of life of patients and reducing the burden of the disease.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression after transcription and participate in various pathophysiological processes in the skin. In recent years, it has been reported that changes in miRNA expression profiles are related to some inflammatory skin diseases. For example, miR-203, miR-146a and miR-21 are upregulated in psoriatic lesions, miR-155 and miR-146a are upregulated in atopic dermatitis lesions, miR-21, miR-223, miR-142-3p and miR142-5p are upregulated in allergic contact dermatitis lesions; however, miR-146a and miR-155 are downregulated in peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, and miR-223 is downregulated in dermatomyositis lesions. This review summarizes relationships of miRNAs with the occurrence and development of some inflammatory skin diseases.