hoe-777 and Acute-Disease

The aim of the study was to monitor the impact of local application of prednicarbat (Dermatop, Hoechst-Biotika) and oral administration of cetirizin (Zyrtec, UCB) on the development of the acute stage of atopic eczema (AE) or acute exacerbation of the chronic form of AE in two groups of patients. Effectiveness and safety of both preparations were being evaluated in 80 children undergoing an outpatient treatment. In the first group, only prednicarbat cream was applied to affected places twice a day for a maximum of 10 days, while in the other group also cetirizin was administered once a day in a dosage according to the patient's age. On the treated places, erythema, infiltrate and excoriation were evaluated with respect to the intensity of manifestation. The results of the study show favourable effects of both preparations on AE development, already during the first days of the therapy. In both groups there was a complete remission of the monitored symptoms in more than 80 per cent of the patients. There was no deterioration of the disease in any patient, and no cases of adverse reactions were registered.

Topics: Acute Disease; Administration, Topical; Anti-Allergic Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Cetirizine; Child; Child, Preschool; Dermatitis, Atopic; Glucocorticoids; Histamine H1 Antagonists; Humans; Infant; Prednisolone

In a double-blind, randomized multicenter study in patients with acute episodes of atopic dermatitis, the efficacy and tolerance of 0.5% halometasone (Sicorten) cream were compared with those of 0.25% prednicarbate cream. A total of 165 patients (88 men, 77 women) were admitted to the study. The halometasone group contained 9% more cases with severe disease than did the prednicarbate group. Two daily nonocclusive applications were permitted, and treatment lasted 14 days. No difference in the onset of the effect was observed between the two groups. With respect to clinical efficacy, higher healing rates were found in the halometasone group: 50.6% versus 34.5% in the patients as a whole, and 39.5% vs. 16.2% in the subgroup of clinically severe cases. Applying stratification, a statistical difference was found in the clinically severe cases. Both creams were well tolerated; undesired side effects were observed neither with halometasone cream nor with prednicarbate cream. Cosmetic acceptance was assessed as very good by 50.6% of patients treated with halometasone cream, and 46.0% of patients treated with prednicarbate cream. Summarizing, it may be noted that halometasone cream is more effective than prednicarbate cream, and is equally well tolerated.

Topics: Acute Disease; Administration, Topical; Adolescent; Adult; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Betamethasone; Child; Child, Preschool; Dermatitis, Atopic; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Prednisolone