Clinical evaluation of clobetasone butyrate in the treatment of children with atopic eczema, and its effect on plasma corticosteroid levels.

Studies were carried out to assess the effectiveness of clobetasone butyrate in treating eczema and psoriasis, and to determine if the compound had any effect on plasma cortisol levels. In the first trial, 71 children with bilateral symmetrical atopic eczema lesions were treated twice daily for 1 week, on one side with 0.05% clobetasone butyrate cream or ointment and on the other with 0.0125% flurandrenolone cream or ointment. Lesions improved or healed in the majority of the patients. Treatment preference showed a trend in favour of clobetasone butyrate but the difference was not statistically significant. In a second open trial, 29 adults with eczema or psoriasis were treated twice daily with clobetasone butyrate for 1 week: lesions in 10 patients remained static, 12 improved, and 7 were cleared. Plasma corticosteroid levels remained within the normal range at the end of the treatment period.