SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF MOMETASONE FUROATE CREAM IN THE TREATMENT OF STEROID RESPONSIVE DERMATOSES

Abstract

The safety and efficacy of once daily application of mometasone furoate cream 0.1% was determined by comparison with twice daily applications of betamethasone dipropionate cream 0.05% in a single blind, dual centre, randomized study in patients with a variety of steroid-responsive inflammatory dermatoses, the most common of which was psoriasis. Morning plasma cortisol levels revealed little adrenal suppression in either of the two study groups and there was no significant difference between the two groups. Routine laboratory investigations showed no trends in values outside the normal ranges that were of clinical significance. Less skin atrophy was seen in the group treated with mometasone furoate. In comparison to the betamethasone dipropionate treated group, those treated with mometasone furoate exhibited only slight evidence of skin atrophy, and this was not observed before four to twelve weeks of treatment. Eighteen percent of patients using mometasone reported adverse reactions but all were of limited duration and did not persist despite continued application of the drug. Nine percent of patients using betamethasone dipropionate reported adverse effects. Both drugs were found to be highly effective with no significant difference between the two groups at the termination of the treatment period. Of importance is the fact that whilst mometasone furoate is found to be a highly effective treatment for a variety of steroid-responsive dermatoses, this drug has only a limited potential for production of local and systemic side effects. Thus, a high margin of safety can be expected for patients using this drug.