Efficacy of oral mefenamic acid in treatment of rash of Gianotti–Crosti syndrome: A prospective noncontrolled case-series study

Abstract

Background: Gianotti–Crosti syndrome (GCS) is a characteristic cutaneous response to viral & non-viral infection mainly affecting children .No treatment appears to shorten the course of the disease which lasts 3-8 weeks .Mefenamic acid is NSAID which acts as competitive inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis.
 Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of oral mefenamic acid 50 mg twice a day in the treatment of (GCS) for 10 daysMethods : In this prospective non-controlled case series study, 36 patients were identified as having Gianotti–Crosti syndrome by dermatologist in Al-Diwanyia Teaching Hospital , from January 2012 to May 2013 and they have been treated with oral mefenamic acid 50 mg twice a day for 10 days.Results : 36 patients entered the current study. The mean age of the patients was 2 1.2 ( 1 - females and 17( 47.2 %) males. Complete clearance of the rash of GCS at all sites was seen in 33 patients ( 91.6 %) within 10 days of initiation of the therapy, leaving the the skin desquamation (P<0.05) .Two patients experienced no change in the rash until after 3 weeks it got resolution of the rash and one patient get his rash resolved after one month. None of the patients suffered adverse effects during the usage of t period of the follow-up.Conclusion : oral mefenamic acid seems to be effective in treatment of Gianotti–Crosti syndrome