Topical tacrolimus as treatment of atopic dermatitis

Review

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Authors: Masutaka Furue, Satoshi Takeuchi

Published Date November 2009 Volume 2009:2 Pages 161 - 166

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S4122

Masutaka Furue, Satoshi Takeuchi

Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

Abstract: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic, relapsing, severely pruritic, eczematous skin disease. The mainstays of treatment for AD are topical tacrolimus and topical steroids. Tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, not only complements existing treatment options but also overcomes some of the drawbacks of topical steroid therapy when given topically and thus meets the long-term needs of patients in preventing disease progression. Topical tacrolimus has been widely recognized in terms of its short- and long-term efficacies and safety, and it is also accepted as a first-line treatment for inflammation in AD. The recent proactive use of topical tacrolimus may emphasize a long-term benefit of this calcineurin inhibitor for AD treatment. To reduce possible long-term adverse effects, it is important to monitor its topical doses in daily clinics.

Keywords: atopic dermatitis, topical tacrolimus, topical steroids, dose, proactive use, adverse effects