Hydrocortisone buteprate versus betamethasone valerate for once-daily treatment of atopic dermatitis

Abstract

The aims of the studies reported here were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new corticosteroid, hydrocortisone buteprate (HBP), in comparison with a well-known corticosteroid, betamethasone valerate (BV), for topical treatment of atopic dermatitis. Two studies (comparing ointment preparations and cream preparations) were conducted in six Nordic centres as randomized, double-blind right/left comparisons of symmetrical skin lesions in 80 patients (ointment study) and 83 patients (cream study). The patients applied HBP 0.1% cream (or ointment) to affected skin lesions on one side and BV 0.1% cream (or ointment) to the opposite lesions once daily for 2 weeks. On days 0, 3, 7 and 14 the symptoms erythema, infiltration, scaling, lichenification, vesiculation, papules, excoriation and pruritus were scored on a five-point scale. Both treatments proved effective as once-daily treatment. Complete healing was obtained in half of the patients with both treatments in the cream study. In the ointment study complete healing was observed in 38% of HBP-treated areas versus 48% of the BV-treated lesions. No statistically significant differences in efficacy between the two treatments were detected in the cream study, while in the ointment study HBP was less effective than BV. In terms of local adverse reactions no differences between treatments were detected.