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Recent Advances in Treatment Strategies for Atopic Dermatitis

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Abstract

A wide range of different therapeutic regimens are used for atopic dermatitis. Although many treatment modalities are well established worldwide among clinicians, only the minority of these therapy recommendations are based on results of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). To close the gap between such ‘generally’ recommended therapies and therapies that are based on data from controlled trials, this review focuses not only on the pharmacological and clinical aspects of the currently proven agents, but also on the advantages and disadvantages of therapies that have not yet been completely tested.

A review of the available literature concerning the pharmacological profile and also the level of evidence of therapeutic efficacy of all currently known topical and systemic agents for the treatment of atopic dermatitis reveals a large gap between the knowledge concerning the pharmacological action in vitro and the evidence of clinical efficacy in many cases.

We agree with the conclusion of previous reviews that numerous therapies for atopic dermatitis urgently require more independent RCTs and especially comparative trials (e.g. corticosteroids vs calcineurin inhibitors). These are required in order to facilitate the choice of therapeutic strategy for the individual treatment of atopic dermatitis, with its broad spectrum of clinical manifestations and potential complications in adult patients and, particularly, in children.

Finally, we also review preclinical trials with several new drugs. Immunomodulators appear to promise a new dimension for the future of therapy for atopic dermatitis, especially for severe and otherwise refractory forms or as alternatives to corticosteroids, that is, to treat facial atopic eczema without the risk of adverse effects.

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Notes

  1. The use of trade names is for product identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Wiebke Müller-Light and Stuart Light, Seattle, for their support in preparation of the review. No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this review. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this review.

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  1. Reha Klinik Neuharlingersiel, Interdisciplinary Therapy Center for Allergies, Skin- and Lung-Diseases, Bet-tenwarfen 2-14, 26427, Nordseeheilbad Neuharlingersiel, Germany

    Thomas Christian Roos, Stefan Geuer & Sabine Roos

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Rheinisch Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen, Germany

    Harald Brost

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  1. Thomas Christian Roos
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Roos, T.C., Geuer, S., Roos, S. et al. Recent Advances in Treatment Strategies for Atopic Dermatitis. Drugs 64, 2639–2666 (2004). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200464230-00003

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