Pimecrolimus 1% cream for pruritus in postmenopausal diabetic women with vulvar lichen simplex chronicus: A prospective non-controlled case series

Kelekci H. K., Uncu H. G., Yilmaz B., Ozdemir O., SÜT N., Kelekci S.

JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGICAL TREATMENT, cilt.19, sa.5, ss.274-278, 2008 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 19 Sayı: 5
  • Basım Tarihi: 2008
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/09546630801955341
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGICAL TREATMENT
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.274-278
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: lichen simplex chronicus, pimecrolimus 1% cream, postmenopausal, vulvar pruritus, EPIDERMAL LANGERHANS CELLS, ATOPIC-DERMATITIS, TOPICAL PIMECROLIMUS, TACROLIMUS, CORTICOSTEROIDS, EFFICACY, SKIN
  • Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

Background: Pruritus vulvae may have a variety of causes, such as infections, dermatologic disorders or non-neoplastic/neoplastic vulvar diseases. Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and side effects of topical pimecrolimus 1% cream for pruritus vulvae. Methods: Twelve postmenopausal diabetic women with vulvar lichen simplex chronicus were enrolled in this trial. Each patient was treated with pimecrolimus 1% cream which was applied twice daily in a thin layer to the vulvae for 3 months. Clinical examination and recording of patients' symptoms using a scoring system was performed by the same physician before, after 4 weeks and after 3 months of therapy. Results: All of the patients completed the study. A substantial decrease in pruritus after treatment was reported by the patients at the 4th week (2.17 +/- 0.72, p < 0.01) and 3rd month of treatment (0.42 +/- 0.92, p < 0.001) when compared with the baseline score (3.75 +/- 0.45). Follow-up of the patients after 3 months of treatment showed that complete cure occurred in 10 patients (83.3%) and the pruritus was improved in two (16.7%) patients. Conclusions: Pimecrolimus 1% cream seems to be an effective and safe treatment modality for pruritus in postmenopausal women with vulvar lichen simplex chronicus.