Background/objectives: Previous studies have demonstrated that the use of a topical antimicrobial combined with a steroid may benefit patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), but modern guidelines discourage the use of antimicrobials in treating this condition. We sought to evaluate the degree of improvement in the severity and extent of AD lesions after using a compounded antibacterial, steroid, and moisturizer (CASM).
Methods: This was a nonblinded retrospective review of patients with AD treated using CASM. Multiple patients in the study had previously failed mid- or higher-potency topical steroids, systemic immunosuppressives, or phototherapy (standard therapy [ST] group). Patients were assessed at baseline and at one follow-up visit, with an average follow-up period of 49.5 days. We included all patients with AD in the database who were prescribed CASM and had one subsequent follow-up appointment. We excluded patients who had newly started a systemic immunosuppressant or phototherapy at the time of beginning CASM.
Results: We included 116 patients in the study. We observed a decrease in mean severity of 1.4 points on a 6-point scale and an average decrease in body surface area (BSA) affected of 23.2 ± 2.5% overall and a decrease in mean severity of 1.4 points and average decrease in BSA affected of 19.7 ± 2.8% in the ST group.
Conclusion: CASM appears to be effective in the management of AD and may offer additional benefit for patients who have plateaued with standard therapies.
© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.