title: Efficacy of an emollient containing diethylene glycol/dilinoleic acid copolymer for the treatment of dry skin and pruritus in patients with senile xerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pruritus frequently reduces quality of life (QOL) in patients with senile xerosis. This study investigated the moisturizing and antipruritic effects of a topical emollient containing a diethylene glycol/dilinoleic acid copolymer (D/DC) in patients with pruritic senile xerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This single-blind study involved 50 subjects, aged 50-75 years. Patients were randomized to self-applied treatment of the lower legs with 10% (n = 20) or 20% (n = 20) D/DC-containing cream, white petrolatum (n = 5), or no treatment (n = 5) thrice daily for four weeks. Clinical scores of skin dryness and scratch marks, skin conductance, and Skindex-16 were evaluated before and after treatment. The degree of pruritus was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) score once a week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients treated with 10% and 20% D/DC showed significant improvements in skin dryness and scratch mark scores, as well as increased skin conductance, compared with the untreated group, whereas white petrolatum treatment improved only skin dryness scores. Moreover, patients treated with 20% D/DC showed significant improvements in skin dryness scores and skin conductance compared with white petrolatum treatment. The VAS scores in the D/DC-treated and white petrolatum-treated groups were significantly lower than in the untreated group, being particularly lower after one week of treatment with 20% D/DC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topical application of an emollient containing D/DC is effective in improving skin dryness and pruritus in patients with senile xerosis.
authors.affiliation: Fancl Research Institute, Fancl Corporation, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Runa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Negi
authors.affiliation: Fancl Research Institute, Fancl Corporation, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Tamie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental and Gender Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsutoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tominaga
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental and Gender Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamo
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.affiliation: Fancl Research Institute, Fancl Corporation, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsukuma
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan.|Institute for Environmental and Gender Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takamori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004643:Emollients / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007868:Leg Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010577:Petrolatum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D015595:Skin Aging; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
chemical_list: D004643:Emollients; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D010577:Petrolatum; D019787:Linoleic Acid
keywords: emollient; pruritus; quality of life; senile xerosis