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Local steroid therapy and bacterial skin flora in atopic dermatitis
Author(s) -
STALDER J.F.,
FLEURY M.,
SOURISSE M.,
ROSTIN M.,
PHELINE F.,
LITOUX P.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1994.tb08556.x
Subject(s) - atopic dermatitis , staphylococcus aureus , medicine , clinical trial , randomized controlled trial , colonization , dermatology , skin flora , micrococcaceae , corticosteroid , surgery , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , genetics
Summary A double‐blind, randomized trial was conducted to determine the influence of topical steroid therapy on atopic skin flora. The bacteriological and clinical effects of desonide (Locapred®), compared with those of its excipient, were studied in 40 children. Clinical scoring and bacteriological sampling were performed before the start of the trial and after 7 days of once‐daily topical treatment. Before treatment, no differences in clinical score or Staphylococcus aureus colonization were noted between the two groups. After treatment, the clinical score improved (P<0.001) in the desonide group, and S. aureus density decreased dramatically (P<0.001). In the excipient group, no significant differences in clinical score or S. aureus density were noted. A comparison of the two groups demonstrated statistically significant differences with regard to clinical score (P<0.001) and S. aureus density (P<0.05). These results show the efficacy of topical corticosteroid treatment alone on S. aureus colonization in atopic skin, and confirm the critical role of inflammation in bacterial colonization.