title: Therapeutic efficacy of phenytoin in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis. A comparison of short- and long-term treatment.
abstract: To assess the potential short- and long-term efficacy of phenytoin in treating recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), we treated 22 patients with therapeutic doses of oral phenytoin (blood level, 8 to 10 micrograms/mL) for periods ranging from eight to 99 weeks. Fourteen (64%) of the 22 patients had greater than a 40% mean percentage decrease in blistering of the skin. Nine (41%) of the 22 patients were treated for longer than 75 weeks, and seven (78%) of these nine patients had a mean decrease in blistering of at least 40% during phenytoin therapy. These data, along with previous reports, suggest that phenytoin has therapeutic efficacy in RDEB.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001768:Blister / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004820:Epidermolysis Bullosa / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010672:Phenytoin