Evaluate of the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus ointment 0,03% to treat atopic dermatitis in pediatric patients

BACKGROUND: Tacrolimus ointment has been shown to be effective in treatment of atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 0.03% tacrolimus ointment (Protopic(R)) in pediatric patients with mild, moderate and severe atopic dermatitis. METHODS.. Open, non-comparative, multicentric study carried out in Brazil. 174 patients (ages from two to 10) with mild to severe atopic dermatitis were included. Patients were instructed to apply Protopic(R) twice a day for six weeks. Primary efficacy criterion was clinical improvement >= 90% assessed by the pbysician (Clinical Response Global Evaluation Scale). Other efficacy criteria included reduction of the Eczema Area Severity Index (EASI), decrease of the affected body surface area (%BSA) and evaluation of the itching by the patients or their guardians (visual analogical scale). Safety was evaluated by adverse events reported by patients and/or guardians or by investigators. RESULTS: Thirty-three percent of patients showed clinical improvement 90%. 45.5% of patients (1st week) decreased EASI and 61.8% (6th week) (p<0,001). %BSA decreased 30.4% and 55.5% in the first and sixth week. improvement was also significant when measured by itching (p<0, 001). Most frequent adverse effects were: burning and itching. CONCLUSION: 0.03% tacrolimus ointment is a safe and effective therapy for mild to severe atopic dermatitis in pediatric patients

Estudo da correlação entre molusco contagioso e dermatite atópica em crianças A study of the correlation between molluscum contagiosum and atopic dermatitis in children

FUNDAMENTOS: É bastante divulgado, sem a fundamentação científica necessária, que a infecção por molusco contagioso tende a ser mais frequente e de maior intensidade nos pacientes acometidos por dermatite atópica. Tal fato motivou a realização deste trabalho. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a prevalência de associação de dermatite atópica e molusco contagioso; avaliar se, nos pacientes com dermatite atópica, a infecção por molusco contagioso é mais recorrente e/ou disseminada e se a ocorrência de eczema perimolusco, prurido e/ou infecção é mais prevalente que nos pacientes sem dermatite atópica. MÉTODOS: Avaliaram-se 284 crianças de ambos os sexos, com diagnóstico de molusco contagioso e/ ou dermatite atópica. RESULTADOS: Apenas 13,4% dos pacientes apresentavam ambas as doenças. O número de áreas anatômicas afetadas por molusco contagioso, a ocorrência de eczema perimolusco e prurido foram maiores nos pacientes com dermatite atópica associada. Não houve diferença significativa de frequência de infecção secundária associada às lesões de molusco contagioso nos pacientes com e sem dermatite atópica. CONCLUSÃO: A prevalência da ocorrência de dermatite atópica e molusco contagioso associados foi baixa. Não houve diferença significativa na recorrência da infecção por molusco contagioso e na quantidade de lesões nos pacientes com e sem dermatite atópica. O número de áreas anatômicas afetadas por lesões de molusco contagioso, a presença de eczema perimolusco e de prurido foram maiores nos pacientes com dermatite atópica. Não houve diferença significativa na ocorrência de infecção bacteriana secundária nos grupos com e sem dermatite atópica<br>BACKGROUND: Although no scientific evidence has yet been published, it is widely understood that molluscum contagiosum tends to be more common and more intense in patients with atopic dermatitis. This lack of evidence led to the development of the present study. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of the association between atopic dermatitis and molluscum contagiosum; to evaluate whether molluscum contagiosum is more likely to be recurrent and/or disseminated in patients with atopic dermatitis and whether the occurrence of eczema surrounding the molluscum contagiosum lesions, pruritus and/or infection is more prevalent in these patients compared to patients without atopic dermatitis. METHODS: A total of 284 children of both sexes with a diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum and/or atopic dermatitis were evaluated. RESULTS: Only 13.4% of the patients had both conditions. The number of anatomical areas affected by molluscum contagiosum and the occurrence of surrounding eczema and pruritus was greater in the patients who also had atopic dermatitis. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of secondary infection associated with the molluscum contagiosum lesions between the patients who had atopic dermatitis and those who did not. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of atopic dermatitis associated with molluscum contagiosum was low. There was no statistically significant difference in the recurrence rates associated with molluscum contagiosum or in the number of lesions between the patients who had atopic dermatitis and those who did not. The number of anatomical areas affected by the molluscum contagiosum lesions and the presence of surrounding eczema and pruritus were higher in the patients with atopic dermatitis. There was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of secondary bacterial infection between the groups with and without atopic dermatiti