TOPICAL CORTICOSTEROIDS AND UNWANTED LOCAL-EFFECTS - IMPROVING THE BENEFIT RISK RATIO

The main goal of pharmacological research in the field of topical cort icosteroids (TCs) is to dissociate efficacy and adverse effects as muc h as possible. The optimal use of TCs, i.e. the careful evaluation of the benefit/risk ratio, depends on: (i) the chemical structure of the TC; (ii) the type of vehicle, (iii) the mode of application; and (iv) the features of the skin to be treated. The recent availability of TCs characterised by a good dissociation between efficacy and adverse eff ects makes the classic and widely used classification system of TCs ba sed upon potency out of date. Indeed, TCs with increasing potency have been characterised up to now, as a rule, by an increasing risk of adv erse effects. Therefore, a classification system taking into major acc ount the benefit/risk ratio seems particularly needed for clinical use in dermatology.