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. 2006 Jun;2(2):213-8.
doi: 10.2147/tcrm.2006.2.2.213.

Treatment of pruritic diseases with topical calcineurin inhibitors

Sonja Ständer  1 , Funda Schürmeyer-Horst, Thomas A Luger, Elke Weisshaar
Affiliations

Treatment of pruritic diseases with topical calcineurin inhibitors

Sonja Ständer et al. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2006 Jun.

Abstract

The introduction of topical calcineurin inhibitors resulted in a significant improvement in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. In addition, rapid amelioration of pruritus could be observed. In case reports, other pruritic dermatoses such as chronic irritative hand dermatitis, rosacea, graft-versus-host-disease, and lichen sclerosus were also treated successfully with pimecrolimus and tacrolimus. Twenty patients were treated with tacrolimus and pimecrolimus in a surveillance study to evaluate efficacy in pruritus and prurigo. Eighteen of 20 patients responded to therapy. Best results were obtained in localized and generalized pruritus while in prurigo nodularis only a subgroup of patients showed an improvement of pruritus. Further controlled studies are necessary to confirm these results.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Female 74-year old patient with prurigo nodularis since 6 months (a). After a therapy of 12 months all lesions of the arm cleared (b).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Female 63-year-old patient with prurigo nodularis since 20 years (a). After a 5 months therapy all skin lesions cleared and skin remained stable after one month stopping the treatment (b).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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