Improvement in treatment adherence with a 3-day course of fluocinonide cream 0.1% for atopic dermatitis

Variations in adherence may cause variations in treatment outcomes with topical corticosteroid therapy for atopic dermatitis. An intensive short course of outpatient treatment may promote good adherence and provide a high level of efficacy. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy, tolerability, and adherence to short-term treatment with fluocinonide cream 0.1% in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Twenty participants with mild to severe atopic dermatitis were instructed to use fluocinonide cream 0.1% twice daily for 3 consecutive days for a total of 6 doses. Disease severity was assessed at baseline, day 3, day 7, and day 14. Electronic monitoring was used to measure adherence to treatment. Median adherence to treatment over the 3-day period was 100%. By day 14, the median visual analog scale (VAS) of pruritus and eczema area and severity index (EASI) scores improved from baseline by 79% and 76%, respectively. By the end of the study period, 11 participants had investigator global assessment (IGA) scores of clear or almost clear. The absolute degree of improvement was proportional to baseline disease severity. Short-term treatment with fluocinonide cream 0.1% for atopic dermatitis was well-tolerated and resulted in significant disease improvement (P < .001). Participants were highly adherent to the 3-day treatment regimen. Efforts to improve adherence may be valuable approaches for treating recalcitrant atopic dermatitis.