The topical phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor roflumilast cream 0.15% may be safe and effective for relieving pruritis in pediatric and adult patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis, according to an article published in Contemporary Pediatrics summarizing findings that were presented at the 2023 AAD Annual Meeting. In two new parallel-group, double-blind phase III trials, the researchers randomly assigned 1,337 patients to receive either roflumilast cream or vehicle and found that 17.7% to 21.2% and 28.9% to 32% of patients in the roflumilast group reported clear or almost clear skin as well as improved atopic dermatitis scores after 2 weeks and 4 weeks, respectively, compared with 5.3% to 6.4% and 12% to 15.2% of those in the vehicle group. Further, some patients using roflumilast cream experienced symptom relief within 1 day of beginning the regimen. Overall, the researchers highlighted that more than 42% of patients aged 6 years and older saw a 75% decline in their disease severity after applying roflumilast cream for 4 weeks—demonstrating a high potential for the treatment in patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis.
May 24, 2023