Methylprednisolone aceponate in eczema and other inflammatory skin disorders -- a clinical update.

Methylprednisolone aceponate (MPA) has been shown to provide rapid, reliable and highly effective treatment of eczematous disorders, with an efficacy comparable to that of most reference topical corticosteroids. It also has excellent local and systemic tolerability. MPA is effective in the treatment of facial and scalp eczema and sunburn and has shown promising results in the treatment of psoriasis. Its rapid efficacy and lack of undesirable local and/or systemic side effects make MPA particularly suitable for use in children and infants. The wide range of formulations (0.1%) of MPA, including cream, ointment, fatty ointment, milk and solution, enable treatment to be tailored to the individual patient. In addition, MPA has the advantage of once-daily application compared with twice-daily treatment for other topical corticosteroids, thereby improving patient safety and promoting patient compliance but without compromising efficacy.