Efficacy and Safety of Topical Delgocitinib for Chronic Hand Eczema: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of...

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is associated with substantial functional impairment and reduced quality of life. Delgocitinib, a pan-Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, has emerged as a promising topical treatment for CHE. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of topical delgocitinib 20-30 mg/g compared with vehicle in patients with CHE. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, EU CTR, and WHO ICTRP were searched up to 15 February 2026. The primary outcome was treatment success at week 16, defined as clear or almost clear skin with a ≥ 2-point improvement on the Investigator's or Physician's Global Assessment (IGA/PGA). Secondary outcomes included treatment success at weeks 4 and 8, changes in Hand Eczema Symptom Diary (HESD) itch and pain scores, and safety outcomes. Relative risks (RRs) and mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models. Three publications reporting four RCTs involving 1154 patients were included, with 752 receiving delgocitinib and 402 receiving vehicle. At week 16, treatment success was significantly higher with delgocitinib (RR 3.17; 95% CI 1.78-5.65; p < 0.01), corresponding to an absolute risk difference of 16.9% and a number needed to treat (NNT) of 6 (95% CI 3-16). Similar results at weeks 4 and 8. Delgocitinib also led to significantly greater improvements in HESD itch and pain scores. No significant differences were found in overall adverse events (AEs), treatment-related AEs, or serious AEs. Discontinuation due to AEs was lower in the delgocitinib group. Delgocitinib 20-30 mg/g demonstrated greater efficacy than vehicle and a favourable safety profile, supporting its use as a topical treatment for CHE.