Abstract
Proactive treatment for atopic dermatitis may prevent recurrent disease exacerbations in the maintenance treatment phase. Many Japanese paediatricians are already aware of proactive treatment and have applied it to their patients. We review 6 randomised controlled trials of proactive treatment for paediatric patients with atopic dermatitis. Four trials used 16 to 20 weeks of treatment with topical corticosteroids, and two used 40 to 52 weeks of treatment with tacrolimus ointment. Each trial showed proactive treatment to be effective. Side effects did not significantly increase in the proactive intervention group with proactive treatment compared to placebo. Proactive treatment is a good option even for paediatric atopic dermatitis. It is not yet clear whether it is better to treat with topical corticosteroid or tacrolimus ointment and how safe it is to use proactive treatment for long periods.
