Safe treatment of head/neck AD with tacrolimus ointment.
BACKGROUND
Atopic dermatitis(AD) with head and neck involvement is common and therapeutically challenging.


METHODS
Efficacy and safety data specific to treatment of head/neck regions with tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) from three double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled studies are reported. A total of 631 adult and 352 pediatric patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis applied the vehicle, 0.03% or 0.1% tacrolimus ointment twice daily to affected areas for up to 12 weeks.


RESULTS
Significant improvements from baseline to end of treatment for signs of atopic dermatitis (erythema, edema, excoriation, oozing, scaling, and lichenification) were noted for head/neck and non-head/neck areas treated with either 0.03% or 0.1% tacrolimus ointment (p<0.001). Within each treatment group, the overall 12-week adjusted incidence rate of application site adverse events was similar for both head/neck and non-head/neck areas. The incidence of common adverse events such as pruritus, "skin burning", erythema, infection, and skin tingling in head/neck areas was comparable to that observed in non-head/neck areas within each treatment group. The overall prevalence of application site adverse events decreased rapidly during the first few days of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Tacrolimus ointment is a safe and effective treatment for atopic dermatitis on the head and neck.
Kang
S
S
Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1618 Taubman Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0314, USA. swkang@med.umich.edu
Paller
A
A
Soter
N
N
Satoi
Y
Y
Rico
M J
MJ
Hanifin
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D009824:Ointments; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009824:Ointments; D016559:Tacrolimus