In a double-blind, randomized multicenter study in patients with acute episodes of
atopic dermatitis, the efficacy and tolerance of 0.5%
halometasone (
Sicorten) cream were compared with those of 0.25%
prednicarbate cream. A total of 165 patients (88 men, 77 women) were admitted to the study. The
halometasone group contained 9% more cases with severe disease than did the
prednicarbate group. Two daily nonocclusive applications were permitted, and treatment lasted 14 days. No difference in the onset of the effect was observed between the two groups. With respect to clinical efficacy, higher healing rates were found in the
halometasone group: 50.6% versus 34.5% in the patients as a whole, and 39.5% vs. 16.2% in the subgroup of clinically severe cases. Applying stratification, a statistical difference was found in the clinically severe cases. Both creams were well tolerated; undesired side effects were observed neither with
halometasone cream nor with
prednicarbate cream. Cosmetic acceptance was assessed as very good by 50.6% of patients treated with
halometasone cream, and 46.0% of patients treated with
prednicarbate cream. Summarizing, it may be noted that
halometasone cream is more effective than
prednicarbate cream, and is equally well tolerated.