title: Effects of tacrolimus ointment on facial eruption, itch, and scratching in patients with atopic dermatitis.
abstract: The action of tacrolimus ointment on pruritus in atopic dermatitis is still unclear. In this open study we investigated both the relationship between the severity of eruptions and the degree of itch and scratching in patients with atopic dermatitis and the effects of topical tacrolimus on these symptoms. Seventy adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis with facial eruptions that were recalcitrant to topical steroids applied a 0.1% tacrolimus ointment twice per day after discontinuation of topical steroid. The eruption scores and an assessment of the itch and scratching were recorded for 12 weeks. Oral antihistamine was prescribed at least one month before the study and continued unchanged during the study in each patient. The percentage reduction in the score of itch and scratching after two weeks (n=59) was significantly higher than in the score of eruption. Although there was no significant relationship between the severity of the eruptions and the degree of itch and scratching during steroid application, a relationship became significant after four weeks (n=59) of tacrolimus use by a one-factor ANOVA analysis. This suggests that tacrolimus ointment is effective for the itch and scratching in cases where degrees might be discrepant from the severity of eruptions in patients with recalcitrant facial eruptions of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Norito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasuno
authors.forename: Saburo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009824:Ointments; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011537:Pruritus / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009824:Ointments; D016559:Tacrolimus