CONTROLLED, BILATERAL, COMPARATIVE-EVALUATION OF 0.05-PERCENT DESONIDE LOTION AND DESONIDE CREAM IN ECZEMATOUS DERMATITIS

A new lotion formulation of 0.05% desonide was compared with 0.05% des onide cream in a single (investigator)-blind, randomized, paired bilat eral comparison study in the treatment of eczematous dermatitis. Eight een patients with bilateral dermatitis, who would normally be treated with a low- to mid-potency topical corticosteroid, were eligible for e ntry into the study. A 7-day washout period was required for any poten tially interfering therapy. Both treatments were given three times dai ly for up to 3 weeks. Patients were seen at study entry (baseline), an d at 1, 2, and 3 weeks of treatment. Fifteen (83%) of the 18 patients completed the study. Of those, 12 patients completed all 3 weeks of tr eatment and 3 patients cleared bilaterally before week 3. Two patients were lost to follow-up and 1 patient whose condition worsened was dro pped from the study early in order to receive alternative treatment. T he overall mean severity score was significantly decreased (P = 0.0002 ) for both the lotion and the cream from moderate at baseline to mild, with no statistically significant differences between the two treatme nts. Few patients experienced stinging or burning (4 of 18) or general irritation (2 of 18). Based on the results of this study, we conclude that desonide lotion is a safe and effective medication for treating the signs and symptoms of eczematous dermatitis and is equal in effica cy to desonide in a cream formulation.