treatment

Last edited 10/2020 and last reviewed 11/2020

Management of eczema:

  • standard initial management of eczema includes:
    • the use of emollients and topical corticosteroids of appropriate potency to treat aIected sites

    • topical calcineurin inhibitors (including tacrolimus and pimecrolimus)
      • licensed for use in adults and children two years of age and older as second-line treatments for moderate to severe eczema that has not been controlled by topical corticosteroids, when there is serious risk of important adverse eIects from further topical corticosteroid use (particularly irreversible skin atrophy)

    • systemic immunosuppressive treatments are reserved for the treatment of more severe cases of eczema that have been inadequately controlled with topical treatments (such as topical corticosteroids and topical calcineurin inhibitors)

Reference:

  • Sawangjit R et al. Systemic treatments for eczema: a network meta-analysis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD013206. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD013206.pub2