Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology

2004 October, Vol. VII, No. 2 (2606-2612)

Pimecrolimus for the treatment of atopic dermatitis – new step to control the disease (Re­view ar­tic­le)

Odilija Rudzeviciene

Ato­pic der­ma­ti­tis is a com­mon chro­nic re­lap­sing in­flam­ma­to­ry skin di­se­a­se that most­ly be­gins du­ring in­fan­cy. The pro­duc­tion of in­flam­ma­to­ry cy­to­ki­nes by ac­ti­va­ted T cells in skin is thought to play an im­por­tant ro­le in the pat­ho­ge­ne­sis of ato­pic der­ma­ti­tis. Pi­mec­ro­li­mus has re­cent­ly be­en de­ve­lo­ped as a new nons­te­roid se­lec­ti­ve to­pi­cal im­mu­no­mo­du­la­tor for tre­at­ment of ato­pic der­ma­ti­tis. Pi­mec­ro­li­mus po­tent­ly su­pres­ses cy­to­ki­ne pro­duc­tion and re­le­a­se from skin T cells wit­hout sig­ni­fi­cant­ly im­pai­ring sys­te­mic im­mu­ne res­pon­ses. This no­vel drug do­es not cau­se cor­ti­cos­te­roid-as­so­cia­ted lo­cal ef­fects. Pi­mec­ro­li­mus is sa­fe and well to­le­ra­ted. Cli­ni­cal stu­dies with in­fants, chil­dren and adults con­fir­med that pi­mec­ro­li­mus sig­ni­fi­cant­ly re­du­ced pru­ri­tus and ot­her signs of acu­te ato­pic der­ma­ti­tis. Pi­mec­ro­li­mus sig­ni­fi­cant­ly re­du­ced the in­ci­den­ce of fla­res and the ne­ed for to­pi­cal cor­ti­cos­te­roids when used at the first signs of acu­te ato­pic der­ma­ti­tis, so it can be used for the long-term con­trol of the di­se­a­se.

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