Antibiotic ointment in the treatment of Grover disease

Abstract

Grover disease, or transient acantholytic dermatosis, chiefly affects the upper part of the trunk in men older than 40 years. Lesions may last for weeks, months, or years, and often are accompanied by intense pruritus. Some patients respond to topical steroid treatment but many do not. This article reports major or total resolution of Grover disease in 6 of 9 patients following topical application of a triple antibiotic ointment. It also proposes using a case registry as a way of further investigating the efficacy of this treatment so that dermatologists may participate.