title: Clinical and biochemical assessment of maintenance treatment in chronic recurrent seborrheic dermatitis: randomized controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have investigated the long-term effects of a maintenance regimen in the prevention of relapses in scalp seborrheic dermatitis (SD), in particular following biomarker changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A new shampoo containing beta-glycyrrhetinic acid (18βGA) in addition to cyclopiroxolamine (CPO) and zinc pyrithione (ZP) was tested in 67 subjects suffering from SD with moderate to severe erythema and itching in a biphasic study. After a first common intensive treatment phase (investigational product thrice a week × 2 weeks), subjects randomly received the investigational product once a week × 8 weeks (maintenance) or a neutral shampoo (discontinuation) in a comparative, parallel group maintenance phase. Efficacy was assessed clinically (overall clinical dandruff score, erythema, overall efficacy, self-evaluation), biochemically and microbiologically by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) analysis of scale samples (Malassezia species (restricta and globosa), cohesion proteins (plakoglobins), inflammation (Interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1RA/IL-1α) and pruritus (histamine, cathepsin S) markers).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the intensive treatment phase, SD improved significantly (p < 0.0001) with a decrease in clinical signs as well as Malassezia species, cohesion proteins, inflammation and pruritus markers. During the maintenance phase, the improvement persisted in the 'maintenance' group only, with a significant intergroup difference. A consistently positive relationship was found between dandruff, itching, erythema and Malassezia populations, histamine levels and IL-1RA/IL-1α ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effectiveness of this maintenance regimen was objectively demonstrated at the clinical, biochemical and microbiological level. Correlations between clinical signs and biomarkers could provide clues to explain the resolution of SD and confirm the interest of biomarkers for SD treatment assessment.
authors.affiliation: Service Exploration Clinique, Hôtel Dieu, Toulouse, France, virginie.turlier@pierre-fabre.com.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Turlier
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viode
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Durbise
authors.forename: Adeline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacquey
authors.forename: Ophélie
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: LeJeune
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oliveira Soares
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lauze
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villeneuve
authors.forename: Amandine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rouquier
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casas
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Redoules
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mengeaud
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schmitt