A new treatment regimen with permethrin in scabies.

BACKGROUND: Topical permethrin, applied once daily, is considered as the most effective treatment in scabies. METHODS: Eighty-nine adult immunocompetent patients with scabies were treated with 5% permethrin cream: 42 patients were treated with a single application/day (group 1); 47 patients were treated with one application/day for two consecutive days (group 2). Clinical diagnosis of scabies was confirmed by microscopical examinations. The cream was stored in refrigerator and applied cold on the entire skin surface. The cream was left on the skin for 24 hours. No other topical or systemic drugs were allowed, except for a cleanser with chlorhexidine. The treatment was repeated in all patients 7-10 days later. The follow-up was 2 months after the end of the treatment. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (61.8%) in the group 1 and 34 patients (87.2%) in the group 2 were considered recovered both clinically and microscopically. Three patients (7.1%) in the group 1 and 4 patients (10.2%) in the group 2 developed a mild irritant contact dermatitis. During follow-up, three patients (7.1%) in the group 1 and two patients (4.2%) in the group 2 developed a recurrence or a re-infestation. CONCLUSIONS: Five per cent permethrin, when applied as cold cream, on the entire skin surface, once daily for two consecutive days, is more effective than the single application in adult immunocompetent patients with scabies.

Treatment of symptoms of erythemato-telangiectatic rosacea with topical potassium azeloyl diglycinate and hydroxypropyl chitosan: Results of a sponsor-free, multicenter, open study.

Thirty-seven adult Caucasian patients (9 males and 28 females), with erythemato-telangiectatic rosacea accompanied by stinging and burning sensation, were treated with a cream containing 5% potassium azeloyl diglycinate and 1% hydroxypropyl chitosan. All patients were previously treated at other centers with topical azelaic acid and/or metronidazole. The cream was applied twice daily for 12 weeks. The objective of the study was the evaluation of the soothing effect of the cream: stinging and burning sensation were measured by means of a 4-point scale (0 = absent, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, and 3 = severe). All patients were clinically evaluated every 4 weeks. Of 37 patients (81.1%), 30 were considered evaluable. Before the beginning of the study, the total score of stinging and burning sensation was 66 (mean: 2.2 points/patient); at the end of the study, it was 37 points (-29) (mean: 1.2 points/patient), with a reduction of 56.1%. No side effects were reported or observed. This study shows that the fixed combination potassium azeloyl diglycinate - hydroxypropyl chitosan is effective in reducing stinging and burning sensation in patients with erythemato-telangiectatic rosacea.

Treatment of pruritus in mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis with a topical non-steroidal agent.

Atopiclair (Zarzenda) is a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of allergic diseases of the skin. Three main ingredients are contained in this product: glycyrrhetinic acid, telmesteine and Vitis vinifera extracts. Other ingredients include: allantoin, alpha-bisabolol, capryloyl glycine, hyaluronic acid, shea butter and tocopheryl acetate. Two previous randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled clinical studies provided evidence that Atopiclair is effective in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. This article presents an open, multicenter, sponsor-free, study on the anti-pruritic activity of this product in adult patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis. The Median Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) values were: at the start of the study (TO), median VAS was 48.5 mm; three weeks later (T1), median VAS was 34.1 mm (-14.4 mm from baseline); six weeks later (T2), median VAS was 24.6 mm (-23.9 mm from baseline). Statistical analysis revealed that differences between TO versus T1, TO versus T2 and T1 versus T2 were highly significant (p<0.001). Side effects (local burning) were relatively common, although mild in severity. On the basis of the results of this study, Atopiclair showed efficacy in relief of pruritus in adult patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis.