Premium
Intermittent Topical Corticosteroid/Tacrolimus Sequential Therapy Improves Lichenification and Chronic Papules More Efficiently than Intermittent Topical Corticosteroid/Emollient Sequential Therapy in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis
Author(s) -
Nakahara Takeshi,
Koga Tetsuya,
Fukagawa Shuji,
Uchi Hiroshi,
Furue Masutaka
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1346-8138.2004.tb00548.x
Subject(s) - medicine , tacrolimus , betamethasone , atopic dermatitis , topical steroid , corticosteroid , dermatology , adverse effect , clobetasol propionate , mometasone furoate , combination therapy , anesthesia , surgery , pharmacology , transplantation
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic, relapsing, severely pruritic, eczematous skin disease. Topical steroids are the mainstay of treatment. However, the adverse effects of steroids on hormonal function are the major obstacle for their use as long‐term topical therapy. Intermittent dosing with potent topical steroids and/or combination therapy with steroid and tacrolimus have been frequently used in the daily management of AD to overcome the problems accompanying the long term use of steroids. We compared the clinical effects of topical steroid/tacrolimus and steroid/emollient combination treatments in 17 patients with AD. An intermittent topical betamethasone butyrate propionate/tacrolimus sequential therapy improved lichenification and chronic papules of patients with AD more efficiently than an intermittent topical betamethasone butyrate propionate/emollient sequential therapy after four weeks of treatment. Only one out of 17 patients complained of a mild, but temporary, burning sensation after tacrolimus application. The intermittent topical steroid/tacrolimus sequential therapy may be a useful adjunctive treatment for AD.