title: 0.25% prednicarbate cream and the corresponding vehicle induce less skin atrophy than 0.1% betamethasone-17-valerate cream and 0.05% clobetasol-17-propionate cream.
abstract: The atrophogenic potential of medium-potent topical glucocorticoids is still controversial. In a double-blind controlled trial 24 healthy volunteers either applied 0.25% prednicarbate cream or the corresponding vehicle to one and 0.1% betamethasone-17-valerate cream or 0.05% clobetasol-17-propionate cream to the other forearm twice daily. Skin thickness was regularly assessed during the six week period of application and for further three weeks thereafter, using both the B- and A-mode of a 20 MHz ultrasound scanner. Both betamethasone-17-valerate and clobetasol-17-propionate cream significantly reduced skin thickness as compared to cream base while prednicarbate cream did not. Given that 0.1% betamethasone-17-valerate- and 0.25% prednicarbate cream are reported to be about equipotent in the treatment of atopic eczema the latter preparation shows an increased ratio between its desired anti-inflammatory and its unwanted atrophogenic effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, FRG.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Korting
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vieluf
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kerscher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000139:chemically induced; D001624:Betamethasone Valerate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002990:Clobetasol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009824:Ointments; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D009824:Ointments; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D001624:Betamethasone Valerate; D011239:Prednisolone; D002990:Clobetasol; C035287:prednicarbate