Comparative study of efficacy and effect on plasma cortisol levels of micronised desonide cream 0.1 p. 100 versus betamethasone dipropionate cream 0.05 p. 100 In the treatment of childhood atopic dermatitis

OBJECTIVE: Systemic side effects of local corticosteroid therapy may occur when treating chronic inflammatory dermatoses in children. We compared the effect of micronized desonide cream 0.1 p.100 versus betamethasone dipropionate cream 0.5 p.100. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A randomized double-blind trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of micronized desonide cream 0.1 p.100 (group 1) versus bethamethasone cream dipropionate 0.05 p.100 (group 2) in children treated for atopic dermatitis and to compare their effects on serum cortisol levels 8 hours after administration. Twenty-nine patients, mean age 13.8 months were included (15 in group 1 and 14 in group 2). The creams were applied twice a day from day 1 to 5 then once a day from day 6 to 7 and finally once every two days to day 15. RESULTS: The two treatments were effective with a decrease in body surface area involved and an improvement in lesion score from day 5 to day 20. Cortisolemia fell off significantly for both treatments between day 0 and day 5 (group 1: Deltad5=-4.74 mg/ml, p=0.01; group 2: Deltad5=-13.06 mg/ml, p<0.0001), only for group 2 between day 0 and day 20 (Deltad20=-7.38 mg/ml, p=0.02) and to a lesser degree between day 0 and day 30 (Deltad30=-3.18 mg/ml, p=0.06). The decrease was greater in group 2 than in group 1 on day 5 (p=0.01) and to a lesser degree at day 20 (p=0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Micronized desonide cream 0.1 p.100 has less potential for suppressing the adrenal cortisol axis than betamethasone dipropionate cream 0.05 p.100 while the therapeutic effect on childhood atopic dermatitis is the same.