3
Mar
2010
Treatment of atopic eczema
The treatment of atopic eczema involves different steps:
Exclusion of the causes of allergy,
Cosmetic treatment,
Stress management,
Drug therapy orally
Treatment of itching,
Anti-inflammatory treatments or shoots,
Treatment of super infections,
Topical pharmacological treatment,
Phototherapy,
New immunomodulators.
Exclusion of Allergy Causes
In this case they are referred to the food exclusion diets to which the patient is sensitized by mechanisms of allergy.
Also environmental control measures to reduce the content of house dust mites.
Cosmetic Treatment
The patient with atopic eczema have dry skin and the tendency to experience a very annoying itch due to xerosis. An excellent way to moisturize the skin is the body daily baths. Although the bath with warm water and relieves the itching if the benefit is markedly better if the water is addedin solution or suspension, powdered formulas with oats or some soft tar. The ideal time is the evening bath. After the bath is appropriate to apply emollient body cream. Most contain urea or lactic acid at different concentrations.
Stress Treatment
Atopic eczema outbreaks are caused or exacerbated by emotional stress, states of distress or anxiety and stress. The doctor with the ability to grasp situations and evaluate them, can help a lot with good psychotherapy. That is why this justified the use of tranquilizers alongside traditional allergy.
Oral Drug Therapy for
Corticosteroids for systemic: They are very useful in acute cases, in doses adequate to break the cycle: itching, scratching, eczema, itching. Should be used for short periods, consistent with the basic conditions that are linked to their use. Not be used as maintenance therapy.
Systemic antihistamines: These drugs should never be used topically. Can be used alone or in combination. They are useful combinations of next-generation antihistamine (levocetirizine, desloratadine, rupatadine, etc ...) during the day with a classic antihistamine (hydroxyzine, chlorpheniramine) at night.
Antibiotic therapy: The use of antibiotics and topical general is necessary in super infected eczema. Super infected atopic eczema rarely. If it is done mostly by hemolytic streptococcus. However, frequently, Staphylococcus aureus colonizes the plaques of eczema.
Immunomodulators: Cyclosporine A is orally active in the treatment of atopic eczema in adults and children. It is generally used at doses of 2.5-5 mg / kg / day for short periods of time.
Lipid supplements: Using oral or Trans epidermal unsaturated essential fatty acids Omega-6, derived from vegetable oil such as evening primrose (Evering prime rose oil) or other vegetables rich in ac. Gamma Linoleic linoleic and help improve dry skin, relieve itching and reduce inflammation eczema.
Topical Pharmacological Treatment
Moist compresses: use in open cured two to four times a day. They recommended the saline, potassium permanganate.
Bathrooms: One or two baths a day, in complete and total immersion bath for twenty minutes, are very effective for soothing dry skin and pruritus. Colloids are used oats or certain tars to dissolve in water.
Emollients: These are the ideal complement for after bathing, but can also be used without Several times a day. Contain urea and lactic acid in different concentrations. Children do not tolerate the carrying urea. There are many in the market for different pharmaceutical form. The emulsions and / or applied after the bath, with skin still wet, are especially beneficial.
Tars: coal tar creams or ointments from 2 to 5% may be as or more effective than topical steroids. Applied especially in areas of chronic eczema or dry. Moreover, complement each other well alternating with steroid creams or ointments.
Topical corticosteroids: In principle the best topical medications to treat eczema. Their use should always take into account the basic principles to avoid undesirable effects. Should be chosen in relation to the activity of eczema. A very potent topical steroid should be used for a limited number of days. You can then follow with another medium or lower activity. In the face of ever weak and should be used for long. In certain areas, like the folds, areas of thin skin or body regions where the network is typically "striae distensae" should never be utilized with great power.
Phototherapy
The use of Ultraviolet although not useful in all patients, in some severe cases have been effective. Both UVA and UVB rays. The dose of PUVA (oxoralen + UVA) is used at two or more sessions a week.
New Immunomodulators
In this group we tacrolimus (Protopic ®) ointment 0.1% (adults) and 0.03% (children), which acts to modulate cell-mediated response (T cells) and is therefore classified as an immunomodulator (immunosuppressant).
Tacrolimus has been accepted for the short-term and intermittent long-term in moderate and severe cases of dermatitis in adults and children over 2 years who do not respond to conventional treatments.
As a side effect has been observed an increased incidence of superficial infections of herpes virus, folliculitis and acne.
It is recommended to take the sun or UV rays in the active treatments with tacrolimus. It usually causes burning, itching skin and erythema at the application site, which typically resolves with treatment maintenance.
The efficacy of tacrolimus is similar to steroids but has the advantage over those not produce skin atrophy and therefore may be administered on injuries for longer periods.
Another is the topical immunomodulators pimecrolimus (Elidel ®) has efficacy similar to above, has the advantage of being able to manage after 3 months of age, not cause local burning and its formulation in cream (1%) that makes it more tolerable and comfortable than the ointment.