Dermatologists' knowledge of and preferences regarding topical steroids

Topical corticosteroids are the standard-of-care treatment for dermatitis, mild psoriasis, and other inflammatory skin diseases. Prescribing practices rely on knowledge of topical corticosteroid potency, as well as potential side effects including steroid allergies.

The primary aim of this study is to determine how dermatologists classify particular topical corticosteroids according to potency, and which products they prefer in cases when allergenicity is a concern,

The data were collected and analyzed from 105 US-based dermatologists surveyed at the 2011 Summer American Academy of Dermatology meeting.

The majority of dermatologists were in agreement on the potency ranking of many commonly prescribed topical corticosteroids. Two thirds of the surveyed dermatologists expressed concern about allergy to topical corticosteroids. In cases of a suspected allergy, desoximetasone was the leading product dermatologists would choose to prescribe.

The survey was limited to attendees of an educational conference, possibly leading to an overestimation of dermatologist knowledge of topical steroids.

This study shows that dermatologists are generally knowledgeable about group classifications of corticosteroids in terms of potency and that they can appropriately select a topical product with low potential for allergy