According to AAD guidelines, TCIs are recommended and effective for acute and chronic treatment, along with maintenance, in both adults and children with atopic dermatitis and are particularly useful in selected clinical situations. TCIs are recommended for use on actively affected areas as a steroid-sparing agent for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.
The AAD guidelines recommend TCS for patients with atopic dermatitis that has failed to respond to good skin care and regular use of emollients alone. Various factors should be considered when choosing a particular TCS, including patient age; areas of the body to which the medication will be applied; and other patient factors, such as degree of xerosis, patient preference, and cost of medication. Twice-daily application of corticosteroids is generally recommended for the treatment of atopic dermatitis; however, evidence suggests that once-daily application of some corticosteroids may be sufficient. Proactive, intermittent use of TCSs as maintenance therapy (once or twice weekly) on areas that commonly flare is recommended to help prevent relapses and is more effective than use of emollients alone.
AAD guidelines also suggest that application of moisturizers is an integral part of treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis, because strong evidence suggests that their use can reduce disease severity and the need for pharmacologic intervention. Use of wet-wrap therapy with or without a TCS can be recommended for patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis to decrease disease severity and water loss during flares.
Read more about the treatment of atopic dermatitis.
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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: William James. Fast Five Quiz: Dermatitis - Medscape - Nov 04, 2020.
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