The management of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in adults with topical fluticasone propionate

This study was designed to investigate a long-term therapeutic strategy for the management of recurring atopic dermatitis (AD) in adults using flutica sone propionate (FP) ointment (Cutivate(TM)) whereby FP could help to preve nt a relapse of AD once symptoms were under control. Adult patients with ch ronic, moderate to severe AD entered this multicentre study All patients we re initially treated with FP 0.005% (g/g) ointment in two different regimen s. Patients whose AD had been completely healed by these treatments then en tered a long-term treatment phase applying PP or placebo ointment once dail y, two times per week for 16 weeks to 'known' healed lesions. By the end of the initial treatment period, mean SCORAD values had significantly (P<0.00 05) improved from baseline. Patients who entered the maintenance phase and were treated with intermittent FP for up to 16 weeks, demonstrated its supe rior efficacy (P=0.018) over placebo, maintaining the improvements achieved after the initial treatment phase, reducing risk of relapse and delaying t ime to relapse (P=0.013). No significant changes were detected in either tr eatment group in serum cortisol levels or in skin thickness measurements. I ntermittent FP applied two times per week maintained a significant level of control, and delayed relapse of AD by comparison with placebo.