title: Effect of topical tazarotene in the treatment of congenital ichthyoses.
abstract: The clinical efficacy and tolerability of the topical receptor-selective retinoid tazarotene in the treatment of congenital ichthyoses was investigated. Twelve consecutive patients with different forms of congenital ichthyosis were enrolled in an open, non-randomized, intraindividually controlled, half-side pilot study. Diagnoses were X-linked recessive ichthyosis, non-erythrodermic autosomal recessive lamellar ichthyosis, autosomal dominant ichthyosis vulgaris and ichthyosis bullosa of Siemens (IBS). Tazarotene 0.05% gel was applied unilaterally daily on a defined body area measuring 10% of the body surface area. The contralateral side was treated with an ointment containing 10% urea. After 14 days, application frequency was reduced to three times a week, and stopped after another 2 weeks. The follow-up period was 3 months. Reduction in scaling and roughness was used to assess the clinical response in the tazarotene-treated area compared with the control area. Clinical and laboratory assessments were performed every 14 days during the trial. Unilateral improvement in favour of the tazarotene-treated side was observed in nine of 12 patients (75%). Four patients (33%) achieved an excellent response and four (33%) achieved a good response. No therapeutic effect was seen in patients with IBS. The remission persisted during the reduction phase and after discontinuation for up to 2 months. Local irritation in three patients was the only side-effect detectable. Short-term topical application of tazarotene 0.05% gel is a very effective and well-tolerated treatment modality in different forms of congenital ichthyoses and may be an alternative to systemic retinoid therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. Benedikt.Hofmann@t-online.de
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stege
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruzicka
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lehmann
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000209:etiology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D016114:Ichthyosis, X-Linked / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009539:Nicotinic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012176:Retinoids
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D009539:Nicotinic Acids; C086827:tazarotene; D012176:Retinoids