Abstract
A 45-year-old woman with atopic dermatitis, who had eczema on her face and limbs, was topically treated with Locoid® ointment and Lidomex® cream. The following day, erythema and swelling developed, and she consulted our hospital. We suspected contact dermatitis caused by the topical ointments and performed patch tests. The patch tests produced positive reactions to Locoid® ointment and Lidomex® cream, and patch testing with the ingredients of these drugs detected positive reactions to the main ingredients; i.e., hydrocortisone butyrate and prednisolone valerate acetate. In addition, patch tests involving other topical corticosteroids produced a positive reaction to Almeta® ointment, which had been used to treat the patient after she had visited our hospital. These results indicate that the patient had become sensitized to the abovementioned substances and that the Almeta® ointment had also provoked symptoms because of its partial structural similarity with the structure of the steroid nucleus.
