The effect of desonide hydrogel on pruritis associated with atopic dermatitis.

Itch is a common and troubling symptom of atopic dermatitis. It is not mediated by histamine, and standard anti-itch therapies, therefore, have limited benefit for most AD patients. Instead, anti-inflammatory agents are used to reduce inflammation and therefore improve associated itch. Studies confirm that long-term use of corticosteroids can lead to a reduction in pruritus. A pilot study was designed to assess the effects of one week of twice-daily application of desonide hydrogel 0.05% for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Active treatment was associated with significant improvements in IGA scores at day 3 and day 7 (mean score 0.55, 75.83% improvement from Baseline; P <.0001) and pruritus VAS scores at day 3 and day 7 (mean 6.35-point, 86.61% reduction in VAS scores; P <.0001). Treatment with the convenient, hydrating hydrogel formulation is effective and associated with an improvement in subjects' quality of life.