Premium
Comparison of effects of tacrolimus ointment and mometasone furoate cream on the epidermal barrier of patients with atopic dermatitis
Author(s) -
DähnhardtPfeiffer Stephan,
Dähnhardt Dorothee,
Buchner Matthias,
Walter Kersten,
Proksch Ehrhardt,
FölsterHolst Regina
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
jddg: journal der deutschen dermatologischen gesellschaft
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.463
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1610-0387
pISSN - 1610-0379
DOI - 10.1111/ddg.12074
Subject(s) - mometasone furoate , atopic dermatitis , tacrolimus , transepidermal water loss , scorad , dermatology , medicine , calcineurin , pharmacology , corticosteroid , pathology , dermatology life quality index , stratum corneum , transplantation , psoriasis
Summary Background The skin barrier plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis. The quality of the skin barrier can be assessed using a new semi‐quantitative method to measure intercellular lipid lamellae. This procedure was used to evaluate the influence of the topical application of the calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus 0.1% ointment (Protopic®) versus mometasone furoate cream (Ecural®) on the quality of the skin barrier. Patients and Methods 20 adult patients with active atopic dermatitis (SCORAD 10–63) were included in an open, non‐interventional study. Lesions on their forearms were treated twice daily over 10 days with either tacrolimus 0.1% ointment or mometasone furoate cream. At the beginning and the end of the treatment period, SCORAD, TEWL and skin hydration were determined and the intercellular lipids were measured using transmission electron microscopy. Results The SCORAD improved in both groups nearly to the same extent, whereas TEWL and skin hydration improved significantly only in the tacrolimus group. Using the semi‐quantitative analysis of intercellular lipid length per 1,000 nm 2 intercellular space, a twofold increase for mometasone furoate cream and a fourfold increase for tacrolimus 0.1% ointment were determined. Conclusions In addition to its known antiinflammatory effect, tacrolimus 0.1% ointment leads also to a measurable increase of the lipids of the skin barrier in patients with atopic dermatitis, exceeding the effect of mometasone furoate cream.