Abstract
Topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCI) are a mainstay of anti-inflammatory therapy in dermatology. Tacrolimus ointment and pimecrolimus cream are currently licensed throughout Europe for active treatment of atopic dermatitis lesions. Tacrolimus ointment is in addition approved for maintenance therapy of this disease. Both TCI have extensive off-label usage as they provide an effective and safe treatment in seborrhoeic dermatitis, lichen planus, lichen sclerosus, eyelid dermatitis, perioral dermatitis, vitiligo and pyoderma gangrenosum. TCI do not cause skin atrophy, glaucoma or cataract even after long-term use in the face.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Further Reading
Bornhövd E, Burgdorf WHC, Wollenberg A. Macrolactam immunomodulators for topical treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2001;45:736–43.
Eichenfield LF, Lucky AW, Boguniewicz M, Langley RG, Cherill R, Marshall K, et al. Safety and efficacy of pimecrolimus (ASM 981) cream 1% in the treatment of mild and moderate atopic dermatitis in children and adolescents. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2002;46:495–504.
Kapp A, Papp K, Bingham A, Folster-Holst R, Ortonne JP, Potter PC, et al. Long-term management of atopic dermatitis in infants with topical pimecrolimus, a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2002;110(2):277–84.
Mandelin JM, Rubins A, Remitz A, Cirule K, Dickinson J, Ho V, et al. Long-term efficacy and tolerability of tacrolimus 0.03% ointment in infants:* a two-year open-label study. Int J Dermatol. 2012;51(1):104–10.
Reitamo S, Wollenberg A, Schopf E, Perrot JL, Marks R, Ruzicka T, et al. Safety and efficacy of 1 year of tacrolimus ointment monotherapy in adults with atopic dermatitis. The European Tacrolimus Ointment Study Group. Arch Dermatol. 2000;136(8):999–1006.
Shaw DW, Maibach HI, Eichenfield LF. Allergic contact dermatitis from pimecrolimus in a patient with tacrolimus allergy. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007;56(2):342–5.
Thaci D, Salgo R. Malignancy concerns of topical calcineurin inhibitors for atopic dermatitis: facts and controversies. Clin Dermatol. 2010;28(1):52–6.
Wollenberg A, Ehmann LM. Long term treatment concepts and proactive therapy for atopic eczema. Ann Dermatol. 2012;24(3):253–60.
Wollenberg A, Reitamo S, Girolomoni G, Lahfa M, Ruzicka T, Healy E, et al. Proactive treatment of atopic dermatitis in adults with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment. Allergy. 2008;63(7):742–50.
Wollenberg A, Frank R, Kroth J, Ruzicka T. Proactive therapy of atopic eczema -an evidence-based concept with a behavioral background. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2009;7:117–21.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wollenberg, A., Peric, J. (2015). Calcineurin Inhibitors: Topical. In: Katsambas, A.D., Lotti, T.M., Dessinioti, C., D’Erme, A.M. (eds) European Handbook of Dermatological Treatments. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45139-7_139
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45139-7_139
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-662-45138-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-45139-7
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)