A study of systemic and topical effects of topical steroid application through the comparison of two application...

We compared two application schedules of a topical steroid, BV (Betamethasone valerate). The schedules were once daily and twice a week on juvenile Wistar rats treated for four weeks. Steroid actions were assessed topically (skin thickness and epidermal Langerhans cell density) and systemically (body weight and internal organ wet weights). The results revealed some rather severe systemic effects caused by frequent steroid application. And we also found a uniquely weak BV effect with Langerhans cells compared to obvious systemic effects on rats. We came to the conclusion that frequent steroid application to the young should be avoided.