[Role of corticoid-antibiotic combinations in local treatments. Critical study]

Current literature about steroid antibiotic combinations has been critically reviewed. The use of such combinations may be considered in infected steroid sensitive dermatosis. Definition of super-infection is however impossible on clinical data only. A single study demonstrated the superiority of the combination upon the steroid alone in well defined experimental conditions. This superiority is not demonstrated beyond 8 days of treatment or in case of pretreatment with local antiseptic solutions or baths. Theoretical side effects of local antibiotics include, sensitization, selection of antibiotic resistant germs, systemic toxicity. They are not troublesome in current practice. However adjunctions of an antibiotic can diminish the steroid efficacy when infection is not present. The real usefulness of the combination in current practice is still to be demonstrated.