Combined antibiotic/corticosteroid cream in the empirical treatment of moderate to severe eczema: friend or foe?

BACKGROUND: Eczema is a common atopic disease associated with pruritus, sleep disturbance, and impaired quality of life. Staphylococcus aureus colonization/infection is important in its pathophysiology. AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of S aureus colonization/infection and the efficacy and acceptability of a combined antibiotic/corticosteroid cream in the empirical treatment of eczema. METHODS: Consecutive patients with moderate to severe eczema were recruited. Swab and cultures from the right antecubital fossa and the worst eczematous area, disease severity (SCORAD) and quality of life (Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index, CDLQI), skin hydration (SH), and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were obtained prior to and following a two week twice-daily course of treatment with a fucidin/corticosteroid cream. General acceptability of treatment (GAT) was documented at completion. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (63% males; mean age 13.5, standard deviation 3.6 years; with 21 moderate and 14 severe disease) were recruited. At start, S aureus was isolated from the right antecubital fossa and the worst affected areas in 66% and 71% of these patients, respectively. At completion, S aureus was isolated in 23% and 40% at the antecubital fossae and worst affected areas (P=0.001 and P=0.003, respectively). No methicillin-resistant S aureus was isolated in this series, but the percentage of fucidin-resistant S aureus increased from 8% to 58% (P<0.001). Disease severity and quality of life were significantly improved (pre-Objective SCORAD and post-Objective SCORAD were 38.4±13.7 and 29.7±14.2, P<0.001; pre-CDLQI and post-CDLQI were 9.4±5.2 and 7.1±4.8, P<0.001). At the right antecubital fossa, skin hydration improved from 30.8±14.2 to 36.7±15.2 (P=0.015); and TEWL from 10.7±2.3 to 9.4±2.2 (P<0.001). Eighty percent of patients found the treatment good or very good, and only one (3%) patient found it unacceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The most prevalent organism in moderate to severe eczema was S aureus. Usage of the combined fucidin/corticosteroid cream is convenient and associated with a reduction in disease severity, improvement in quality of life, SH, and TEWL, but caution has to be taken with emergence of fucidin-resistant S aureus.

Serum levels of heavy metals in childhood eczema and skin diseases: friends or foes.

The incidence of eczema has been increasing in developed countries. Environmental and hygiene factors have been incriminated. Although air and food pollution with heavy metals have been considered as possible culprits, these factors have never been investigated in Hong Kong. To evaluate if quality of life and eczema severity are associated with abnormal serum levels of six common heavy metals, namely, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, copper and zinc. Serum or whole blood was taken for measurement of six heavy metals from patients referred to the pediatric dermatology clinic. Eczema severity (SCORAD and NESS) and quality of life (CDLQI) were recorded. A total of 110 patients with eczema and 41 patients with miscellaneous skin conditions were recruited. Serum levels of the six heavy metals were generally within the upper limits of local reference ranges. Zinc levels were below the lower reference limit of 9.4 mum in 66 patients with eczema (60%) and 22 non-eczema patients (53%). Forty-four patients with eczema (40%) and 24 (58%) in non-eczema group had low copper levels. In eczema patients, lead levels were generally within normal limits but their levels were positively correlated with poor quality of life (CDLQI: r = 0.22 and p < 0.05), disease severity (objective SCORAD: r = 0.33 and p < 0.005; NESS: 0.20, p < 0.05), eosinophil count and log-transformed IgE. Copper/zinc ratio also correlated with NESS and CDLQI and was generally higher than non-eczema skin diseases. Our findings help reassure parents that levels of heavy metals generally do not exceed the local reference ranges for toxicity. However, lead levels have significant correlations with disease severity, quality of life and atopy. Low zinc and copper levels are commonly found in pediatric skin diseases and their significance needs to be determined.

The ideal moisturizer: a survey of parental expectations and practice in childhood-onset eczema.

AIM: We evaluated the moisturizing and bathing practices and preferences of patients with childhood-onset eczema. METHODS: The attitudes and practice of patients with eczema managed at a pediatric dermatology clinic were evaluated, using children with non-eczematous skin diseases as controls. Disease severity of eczema in the preceding 12 months was evaluated by the Nottingham Eczema Severity Score (NESS). Skin hydration (SH) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were assessed. RESULTS: Majority of patients took shower instead of bath and spent 12-13 min in shower. Most eczema patients applied emollients after shower/bath. Air-conditioning use was frequent, and patients with eczema maintained a lower ambient temperature than non-eczema patients (p = 0.001). Most eczema patients reported regular emollient usage (1.8 times/day for mild vs 2.8 times/day for moderate-to-severe eczema, p = 0.001), and acceptability of the current product was good to fair. Parents reported that the current emollients were most often recommended by doctors. Majority of parents/patients with mild eczema thought an ideal emollient needs only to be used twice a day whereas moderate-to-severe patients preferred more frequent usage (p = 0.001), and most of them preferred a non-fragrant, non-herbal white cream. Agreements concerning ideal emollient usage were only "moderate-to-fair" (kappa values <0.61), implying what parents/patients practiced was not the same as what they preferred. CONCLUSION: This study helps better understand the emolliation practices and preferences of eczema patients. Doctors remain the most important source of recommendation. Majority think an ideal moisturizer is a non-fragrant, non-herbal, white or transparent cream which needs only to be used two to three times per day. Compliance may be enhanced if the recommended moisturizer conforms to the parents/patients preference.

Acceptability and efficacy of an emollient containing ceramide-precursor lipids and moisturizing factors for atopic dermatitis in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND: Atopic eczema or dermatitis (AD) is associated with atopy and is characterized by reduced skin hydration and an impaired skin barrier in the epidermis. We investigated the patient acceptability and efficacy of an emollient containing ceramide-precursor lipids and moisturizing factors (LMF) in AD. METHODS: Consecutive AD patients were recruited. Swabs and cultures were obtained from the right antecubital fossa and the worst-affected eczematous area, and disease severity [according to the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) Index], skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured prior to and after 2 weeks' use of the LMF moisturizer. The general acceptability of treatment was documented as being 'very good', 'good', 'fair', or 'poor'. RESULTS: Twenty-four AD patients [mean age 13.8 (standard deviation 5.7) years] were recruited. Two thirds of the patients reported very good or good acceptability of the LMF moisturizer, whereas one third reported fair or poor acceptability. There were no inter-group differences in the pre-use clinical parameters of age, objective SCORAD score, pruritus score, sleep disturbance score, skin hydration, TEWL, topical corticosteroid use, oral antihistamine use, or acceptability of previously used proprietary emollients. However, patients in the fair/poor acceptability group were more likely to have Staphylococcus aureus colonization and to be female (odds ratio 13, 95 % confidence interval 1.7-99.4; p = 0.021). Following use of the LMF moisturizer, the objective SCORAD score, pruritus score, and sleep disturbance score were lower in the very good/good acceptability group than in the fair/poor acceptability group. The mean objective SCORAD score improved (from 31.5 to 25.7; p = 0.039) and skin hydration improved [from 30.7 arbitrary units (a.u.) to 36.0 a.u.; p = 0.021] in the very good/good acceptability group. When the data were analyzed for the strength of the agreement of the rating of acceptability, the κ values were 0.338 (fair) for use of body wash and 0.118 (poor) for use of emollients before and after the trial. CONCLUSION: The LMF moisturizer was considered acceptable by two thirds of the patients with AD. It seems that patients who found the moisturizer acceptable were less likely to be female or to be colonized by S. aureus before switching to the product, and they had less severe eczema, less pruritus, and less sleep disturbance after its use than patients who did not find the product acceptable. Gender and S. aureus colonization may have influenced the patient acceptability and clinical efficacy of the LMF moisturizer. The lack of agreement with regard to the acceptability of the moisturizer implies that there is room for parent/patient education to improve compliance.

What happens to the severity grading by objective SCORAD if we over- or underestimate disease extent or intensity in patients with atopic dermatitis?

BACKGROUND: The objective SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) is a widely-used clinical score for assessing the extent, intensity, and severity of atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effect on the severity grading if extent or intensity was under-estimated or overestimated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six-hundred and fifty-one SCORADs performed over a 40-month period were evaluated. The effect on AD severity grading of six-hundred and fifty-one SCORADs performed over a 40-month period was evaluated if disease extent or intensivity was misestimated. RESULTS: The effect on AD grading was generally small if extent had been misestimated by 10% or 20%. In the mild grade (n=131), 40%, 62%, and 82% would have become moderate if the intensity had been underestimated by 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In the moderate grade (n=296), 13%, 27%, and 41% would have become severe if the intensity had been underestimated by 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The grading would have become mild in 16%, 31%, and 44% if the intensity had been overestimated by 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In the severe grade (n=224), 14%, 25%, and 38% would have become moderate if the intensity had been overestimated by 1, 2, and 3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The effect on AD grading is generally small if extent is misestimated. A huge difference, especially if underestimated in the mild group, would occur if intensity is misestimated. Surrogate markers of disease severity could overcome or supplement shortcoming of clinical scores in AD research.

The atopic march: from skin to the airways.

Many patients with atopic eczema (AE) would "march" to develop allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. Physicians, patients and their families often do not appreciate the significance of these diseases as co-morbidities of atopy.The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of airway atopies in patients with AE. AR and asthma severity were assessed in consecutive AE patients seen at a pediatric dermatology clinic by ARS (allergic rhinitis score) and ACT (asthma control test). Eczema severity (SCORAD and Nottingham Eczema Severity Score: NESS) were recorded.110 patients with AE and 42 patients without AE were recruited. Allergic rhinitis and asthma were significantly more prevalent in patients with AE [odds ratio for AR was 2.9 (CI: 1.3 - 6.5) and for asthma 4.3 (CI: 1.3 - 16.10)]. 23 (45%) of the AE patients with AR reported that they were currently on oral antihistamine whereas none of the non-AE group reported such usage. Both groups reported relatively higher sneezing and nasal congestion scores and low "eye watering" score. Comparing mild with moderate-to-severe AE, there was essentially no difference between the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma, or severity of symptoms by ARS and ACT, but females reported more severe symptoms of sneezing and itching nose.We conclude that allergic disorders of airway are very common among AE patients independent of the eczema severity. Most of the patients have mild-to-moderate AR and asthma. There is a lot of room for parent/patient education, and childhood eczema may prompt early awareness of these airway co-morbidities of atopy.

Fish consumption, fish atopy and related heavy metals in childhood eczema.

Due to increasing worldwide water pollution, fish might be a source of excessive zinc, mercury, arsenic or manganese intake. The aim of this study was to evaluate if fish atopy/sensitization and fish consumption behavior are associated with eczema severity and blood levels of the 4 heavy metals.One-hundred and nineteen patients with eczema and 43 patients with miscellaneous non-eczema skin diseases were studied. There were no differences in average weekly fish consumption and blood levels of the 4 heavy metals between eczema and non-eczema groups. Blood levels of these metals were generally within the upper limits of local reference ranges in all these patients. In eczema patients, freshwater fish consumption behavior in days-per-week was correlated with blood arsenic and mercury levels (rho=0.17, p<0.01 for both metals), but not with zinc or manganese. Levels of arsenic and mercury were also correlated with days of seawater fish consumption per week (arsenic: 0.38, mercury: 0.24, p <0.05).Fish sensitization was present in 25% of patients with eczema. Nevertheless, there was no difference in terms of fish consumption behavior, eczema severity, quality of life, and heavy metal levels between eczema patients with or without fish sensitization. We conclude that without exceeding local normal reference ranges, blood arsenic and mercury levels correlated with fish consumption behavior. There is no evidence to suggest that fish sensitization is associated with more severe eczema (bad for eczema), or that patients have milder eczema with more days of fish consumption (good for eczema).

Skin prick testing in atopic eczema: atopic to what and at what age?

BACKGROUND: Atopic eczema is a common and distressing disease. This study aimed to review the age-dependent pattern of atopic sensitization to food and aeroallergens in patients with eczema by skin prick testing. METHODS: The results of skin prick test (SPT), serum IgE, bronchial challenge test, and family history of atopy in eczema patients seen at a pediatric dermatology clinic were reviewed. RESULTS: SPT results were available in 816 eczema patients. In these patients, 90% had atopic sensitization to at least one aeroallergen, 69% to at least one food allergen, and 94% to at least one allergen by SPT. Together with a family history of atopy in parents or siblings and a personal history of airway atopies, 97% and 99.8% of the patients were atopic, respectively. Bronchial hyper-reactivity (BHR) was demonstrated in 44% of 339 patients. Aeroallergen was more prevalent than food allergen sensitization among children older than 10 years. The mites (D. pteronysissnus, D. farinae and Blomia Tropicalis) were the most prevalent allergens regardless of age and BHR, but D. pteronysissnus and D. farinae sensitization were more prevalent among BHR-positive patients. Beef is the least sensitized food protein in all ages. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients with eczema are atopic to aeroallergens. The mites (D. pteronysissnus, D. farinae and Blomia Tropicalis) are the most prevalent allergens regardless of age and BHR.