Topical therapy of atopic dermatitis with a focus on pimecrolimus.
Thomas A LugerA S PallerA D IrvineR SidburyL F EichenfieldT WerfelT BieberPublished in: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV (2021)
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and relapsing, inflammatory skin disease characterized by impaired skin barrier function and immune system dysregulation that results in dryness, skin microbiome dysbiosis and intense pruritus. It is highly heterogeneous, and its management is demanding. Patients with AD are at greater risk of comorbidities such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as other atopic diseases. Early-onset AD cases typically improve or resolve in late childhood; however, it is proposed that the prevalence of persistent or adult-onset AD is higher than previously thought. Basic therapy consists of emollient application and trigger avoidance, and when insufficient, topical corticosteroids (TCS) are the first-line treatment. However, corticophobia/steroid aversion and TCS side-effects, particularly on sensitive skin areas, lead to low compliance and insufficient disease control. Several long- and short-term randomized controlled and daily practice studies have demonstrated that topical calcineurin inhibitors, such as pimecrolimus, have similar anti-inflammatory effects to low-to-medium strength TCS, reduce pruritus and improve the quality of life of patients. In addition, pimecrolimus does not cause skin atrophy, is steroid-sparing and has a good safety profile, with no evidence for an increased risk of malignancies or skin infections. In general, pimecrolimus cream is well-accepted and well-tolerated, encouraging patient adherence and leading to its use by many physicians as a preferred therapy for children and sensitive skin areas.
Keyphrases
- wound healing
- atopic dermatitis
- soft tissue
- early onset
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- primary care
- autism spectrum disorder
- multiple sclerosis
- healthcare
- stem cells
- type diabetes
- young adults
- late onset
- oxidative stress
- randomized controlled trial
- ejection fraction
- newly diagnosed
- clinical trial
- metabolic syndrome
- case report
- mesenchymal stem cells
- minimally invasive
- insulin resistance
- early life
- quality improvement
- glycemic control