Antimicrobial Silk Clothing in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis Proves Comparable to Topical Corticosteroid Treatment

Senti G and colleagues, Zurich University Hospital.- Published in Dermatology. Sept 2006. Issue 213. pp 228 - 233

Objective

To compare the efficacy of DermaSilk with that of a topical corticosteroid in the treatment of atopic dermatitis

Method

Fifteen children with moderate atopic dermatitis were enrolled into the study. They each received specially designed garments with the left arms and legs made of DermaSilk and the corresponding right limbs and whole trunk made of cotton. This was done so that each patient could try each type of medication at the same time.

The cotton covered limbs were treated with a topical corticosteroid cream once a day for the first 7 days of the study as would normally happen when using this medicine.

Both the DermaSilk and cotton covered limbs were given identical topical non-medicated emollients to moisturise the skin. No other treatments were applied.

In this way the only differences between the treatments was the DermaSilk on one side and the cotton plus corticosteroid cream on the other side.

Results were measured by 4 means

• A measure of the severity of the eczema

• Patient / parent assessment of itch

• Patient / parent assessment of overall improvement

• Physicians global assessment

Results were taken at the beginning of the study and on days 7 and 21.

Results

No differences in the eczema severity scores were found between the left and right side of individual patients at any time in the study. Similarly there was no difference in the patient or parent assessment of the effectiveness of each type of medication.

The Doctors assessment also showed no significant difference in the treatment groups at both day 7 and day 21. Both types of treatment were well accepted by the parents and only one patient was withdrawn from the study due to a widespread flare up of their condition

Conclusions

The authors confirm and extend the findings reported by Ricci and his colleagues in the British Journal of Dermatology (2004) by demonstrating that not only is DermaSilk superior to cotton clothing but it is even comparable in clinical effectiveness to treatment with a potent topical corticosteroid used as normally prescribed.

The final paragraph of the paper says it all.

"The efficacy was comparable to that obtained by treating the patient with a modern class III topical corticosteroid and, thus, as good as the current standard care in Atopic Dermatitis."