title: Maintenance Therapy of Facial Seborrheic Dermatitis with 0.1% Tacrolimus Ointment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs) have been successfully used to treat seborrheic dermatitis (SD) patients. Meanwhile, treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) with low-dose, intermittent TCI has been proved to reduce disease flare-ups. This regimen is known as a maintenance treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this trial was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of a maintenance treatment with tacrolimus ointment in patients with facial SD.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the initial stabilization period, patients with facial SD or AD applied 0.1% tacrolimus ointment twice daily for up to 4 weeks. Clinical measurements were evaluated on either in the whole face or on separate facial regions. When an investigator global assessment score 1 was achieved, the patient applied tacrolimus twice weekly for 20 weeks. We also compared our results with recent published data of placebo controlled study to allow an estimation of the placebo effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The time to the first relapse during phase II was similar in both groups otherwise significantly longer than the placebo group. The recurrence-free curves of two groups were not significantly different from each other; otherwise the curve of the placebo group was significantly different. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in the number of DEs, and treatment days for disease exacerbations (DEs). The adverse event profile was also similar between the 2 groups. During the 20 weeks of treatment, the study population tolerated tacrolimus ointment well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that maintenance treatment with tacrolimus may be effective in preventing the occurrence of facial SD exacerbations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye One
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Gyung Moon
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Rok
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Eulji University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Joong Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae We
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Che
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chun Wook
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: Maintenance therapy; Seborrheic dermatitis; Tacrolimus ointment