Efficacy of corticosteroids in acute experimental irritant contact dermatitis?

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

Topical corticoids are used to treat irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) in humans. However, their clinical efficacy remains sub judice. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of low- and medium-potency corticosteroids on irritant dermatitis.

METHODS:

We induced an acute ICD via open application of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) on the hands of subjects. The dorsal side of hands was irritated with 10% SLS five times in one day. Once on day 1 and twice daily on days 2-5, 1% hydrocortisone, 0.1% betamethasone-17-valerate and vehicle cream (petrolatum) were applied subsequently. Visual grading, bioengineering techniques and squamometry were used to quantify skin response.

RESULTS:

Corticosteroids were found ineffective in treating the surfactant-induced irritant dermatitis when compared with the vehicle and with the untreated control.

CONCLUSION:

The counterintuitive result (in a relatively realistic and robust model) should be interpreted with caution until verified with other irritants of varying physicochemical properties.

• Authors: C Levin, H Zhai, S Bashir, A L Chew, A Anigbogu, R Stern, H Maibach
• Journal: Skin research and technology : official journal of International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin (ISBS) [and] International Society for Digital Imaging of Skin (ISDIS) [and] International Society for Skin Imaging (ISSI) (Skin Res Technol) Vol. 7 Issue 4 Pg. 214-8 (Nov 2001) ISSN: 0909-752X [Print] England
• PMID: 11737815 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Surface-Active Agents
• Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
• Betamethasone Valerate
• Hydrocortisone

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (therapeutic use)
• Betamethasone Valerate (therapeutic use)
• Dermatitis, Contact (drug therapy, pathology)
• Double-Blind Method
• Hand
• Humans
• Hydrocortisone (therapeutic use)
• Middle Aged
• Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
• Surface-Active Agents
• Treatment Failure