[Systemic side effects of external corticoids: results of dermatologic studies in children with neurodermititis].

Of 111 children with atopic dermatitis who were admitted as in-patients in a German aero-biological childrens clinic, 83 patients (74.8%) had been prescribed a prolonged corticosteroid therapy from their family doctor. For 60 children (54.1%) the corticosteroid application was topital, partly with occlusive dressing or with fluorinated preparations. The remaining 23 children (20.7%) were treated topically and systemically with corticosteroids. Of the 60 children whose atopic dermatitis was treated exclusively with topical corticosteroids, 59 patients (98.3%) showed undesirable side effects. Moreover, irreversible body changes developed through the transcutaneous absorptive processes, which were more evident and appeared more often in girls than in boys.