ABSTRACT
Topical corticosteroids have been the first line treatment in children with eczema. Efforts to develop new topical glucocorticoids with reduce systemic bioactivity help to treat them. Mometasone furoate 0.1% has been found to be efficacious in children with atopic dermatitis. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, safety and tolerability of mometasone furoate 0.1% cream, ointment and lotion in childhood eczema. The study was conducted from Oct 2007 to Jan 2008 at the outpatient department of dermatology at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi. A total of 50 children, aged >12 years, of either sex with all types of childhood eczema were included in the study and those with infection, complication like scars, atrophy, striae, etc, known hypersensitivity to corticosteroids and on any other medicaments were excluded. Parents of children were instructed to apply a thin layer with gentle rubbing twice daily for three weeks. Fingertip unit [FTU] was demonstrated to parents. Tubes of mometasone furoate 0.1% cream, ointment and lotion were given to parents according to the need. Emollient was applied twice daily. Children were followed up at 3, 6 and 12 weeks. SPSS - 13.0 was used for statistical analysis. Friedman test was applied to compare the significance of results at p<0.05. Out of 50 patients enrolled, at 3 weeks of follow-up only 43 reported. 29 [67% showed improvement and 14 [32%] fully resolved. At 6 weeks 32 [74.4%] had complete resolution and 7 [16.2%] had improved, but at 12 weeks only 25 patients [58%] had resolved and 6 patients [13.9%] relapsed, while 2 patients were gradually improving. Efficacy in resolution of sign/symptoms on 12 weeks was [p<0.001]. No cutaneous or systemic side effects were seen. Mometasone furoate 0.1% cream, ointment and lotion are found to be effective, safe and highly tolerable in childhood eczema and the compound was found equally safe in infants