OUTPATIENT TREATMENT OF ATOPIC-DERMATITIS WITH CRUDE COAL-TAR

Background: Patients with atopic dermatitis benefit from treatment wit h crude coal tar, We started a program for the treatment of patients w ith atopic dermatitis in an out-patient facility using intermittent ap plications of crude coal tar. Objective: To study the efficacy and fea sibility of an out-patient regimen using crude coal tar in atopic derm atitis. Methods: We treated 18 patients in the out-patient setting. A trained nurse and after thorough instruction the patients themselves a t home applied crude coal tar in a zinc paste 2 or 3 times a week. We studied the improvement by visual scoring and compared the results wit h patients treated with daily applications at the in-patient departmen t. Results: The improvement was comparable at the end of the treatment period for both settings. The treatment period, however, was longer f or the patients treated in the out-patient setting, Conclusion: The ou t-patient programme proved to be an efficacious and a well-appreciated approach.