Pimecrolimus: a review of its use in atopic dermatitis

Pimecrolimus (Elidel) is a topically active, nonsteroid, calcineurin inhibitor that has shown efficacy in controlling symptoms of atopic dermatitis in adult and pediatric patients. Topical pimecrolimus 1% cream is approved in the US for the short-term and intermittent long-term treatment of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis in non-immunocompromised patients aged >/=2 years who do not respond well to, or may have adverse effects with, conventional treatments. Pimecrolimus 1% cream is an effective and well tolerated treatment for atopic dermatitis in infants, children, adolescents, and adults. Pimecrolimus is effective at reducing the incidence of disease flares and, thus, the need for rescue treatment with topical corticosteroids. The drug also improves the health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) of children and adolescents, and improves the QOL of parents of children with atopic dermatitis. Furthermore, pimecrolimus does not cause skin atrophy, a problem commonly associated with topical corticosteroids, and is not associated with clinically relevant systemic adverse events. Thus, topical pimecrolimus 1% cream is an effective treatment option for the management of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis.