Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of local cyclosporin in atopic dermatitis.

The efficacy of local applications of 10% cyclosporin gel was studied in a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial in atopic dermatitis. Twenty atopic patients, presenting with stable symmetrical lesions, participated in the study. They applied cyclosporin gel to one side and placebo gel to the other side twice a day. The lesions were assessed on day 0 and day 14 according to lesional criteria scored from 0 to 3. The mean score for each criterion on day 14 was significantly lower on the sides treated with cyclosporin than on the sides treated with placebo. The total mean score on day 14 was 6.1 +/- 3.9 on the sides treated with CSA and 9.6 +/- 3.9 for placebo (p less than 0.005). These findings suggest the efficacy of local CSA applications on lesions of atopic dermatitis.