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Poor efficacy of oral tacrolimus in the treatment of severe generalized atopic eczema in adults: A small retrospective case series
Author(s) -
Lee Frederick J,
Frankum Brad S,
Katelaris Constance H
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
australasian journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.67
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1440-0960
pISSN - 0004-8380
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-0960.2011.00789.x
Subject(s) - medicine , tacrolimus , dermatology , retrospective cohort study , atopic dermatitis , series (stratigraphy) , atopy , pediatrics , immunopathology , transplantation , paleontology , biology
We report a small, but novel case series of four adults with severe generalized atopic eczema (AE) not responsive to several other immunomodulatory therapies, who were treated with oral tacrolimus (5 mg twice‐daily). Three of the four patients failed therapy with systemic tacrolimus, despite two of these showing an initial clinical response; the fourth patient remains on tacrolimus monotherapy with good control of skin disease. Although oral tacrolimus was well‐tolerated in this small group of adults, the clinical efficacy in this series for severe AE was poor. Tacrolimus may yet have a role in less severe disease, but larger prospective studies are required to qualify its place as a treatment option in AE.