Use of pimecrolimus cream in disorders other than atopic dermatitis.
BACKGROUND
Pimecrolimus is indicated for treatment of atopic dermatitis and has been evaluated in many other disorders.


OBJECTIVE
To review the efficacy of pimecrolimus in treatment of disorders other than atopic dermatitis.


METHODS
We performed a PubMed search of the English-language literature using the key word "pimecrolimus." We reviewed articles reporting the use of pimecrolimus in disorders other than atopic dermatitis and classified them by the type of study used to evaluate efficacy.


RESULTS
Randomized, double-blind studies have shown that pimecrolimus is superior to vehicle in treatment of seborrheic dermatitis, hand dermatitis, and asteatotic eczema but have yielded conflicting results regarding intertriginous psoriasis and vitiligo. Open-label studies involving four or more patients have shown favorable results in many disorders, including contact dermatitis, rosacea, lichen sclerosus, and oral and genital lichen planus. Case reports have shown that topical pimecrolimus may be useful in cutaneous graft-versus-host disease, lichen striatus, cutaneous lichen planus, and many other disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
Topical pimecrolimus appears to be an effective treatment for many disorders other than atopic dermatitis, especially seborrheic dermatitis, hand dermatitis, and asteatoic eczema. It may be effective in many other disorders, but its role in these disorders remains to be clarified by additional studies.
Day
Isaiah
I
Division of Dermatology and Cutaneous Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Lin
Andrew N
AN
D000287:Administration, Topical; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009824:Ointments; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D009824:Ointments; C117268:pimecrolimus; D016559:Tacrolimus