Cyclosporine-A for severe childhood atopic dermatitis: clinical experience on efficacy and safety profile.

Background/aim: Management of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children is still challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of cyclosporine-A (CsA) treatment in children with severe and recalcitrant AD. Materials and methods: Medical records of 43 children followed between January 2010 and December 2015 and treated with systemic CsA were evaluated retrospectively. Treatment efficacy was assessed according to the physician's global assessment (PGA) score. According to the treatment response, patients were grouped as nonresponder, moderate responder, or good responder. Effects of the variables on treatment response were evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The safety profile of CsA was assessed by clinical and laboratory findings at each visit.

Results

The median initial dose of CsA was 3 mg/kg daily, ranging between 2.5 and 5 mg/kg daily. The mean duration of CsA therapy was 4.9 ± 4.24 months. Seventeen patients (39.5%) achieved good response in a treatment period of 3 to 14 months. After discontinuation of CsA, of the 17 patients, relapse was observed in 4 (23.5%). Moderate response was observed in 12 (27.9%) patients; however, 14 (32.6) patients did not respond to the treatment. Five patients reported mild side effects.

Conclusion

Low-dose CsA seems to be an effective and safe treatment option for severe and recalcitrant AD in children.