Treatment of atopic dermatitis with pimecrolimus – impact on quality of life

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a multifactorial chronic remittent skin disease which requires long-term treatment. Pimecrolimus cream 1% is a nonsteroid selective inhibitor of inflammatory cytokines and effective in the treatment of AD. Various clinical trials have shown its long-term safety and efficacy in pediatric and adult patients suffering from mild to moderate AD. In this article we discuss data which has assessed the impact of AD on the patient's quality of life, and the consequent role of topical anti-inflammatory therapy for long-term AD treatment.