Pimecrolimus 1 percent cream in the treatment of psoriasis in a child.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder of multifactorial etiology. Because of the potential side effects of repeated topical application of potent corticosteroids, equally-effective, safer therapeutic options are required, especially in the treatment of children. We report on the efficacy of twice daily application of pimecrolimus 1 percent cream in a girl who suffered from psoriasis involving the eyelids and anogenital region. After 20 days of application of pimecrolimus cream the plaques completely resolved. No significant side effects have been observed. Topical pimecrolimus appears to be an effective and safe treatment for children with psoriasis. Our case observations provide further evidence for the beneficial effects of topical pimecrolimus in the treatment of psoriasis. Vehicle-controlled studies on a larger number of patients are now needed to investigate long-term efficacy and safety of topical pimecrolimus in the treatments of a variety of types of psoriasis in children.