MOMETASONE FUROATE 0.1-PERCENT FATTY CREAM ONCE-DAILY VERSUS BETAMETHASONE VALERATE 0.1-PERCENT CREAM TWICE-DAILY IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ATOPIC AND ALLERGIC CONTACT-DERMATITIS

The efficacy of mometasone furoate fatty cream was evaluated in a Scandinavian multicenter study of 117 patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis compared with betamethasone valerate cream for 3 weeks. Mometasone furoate was applied once daily and betamethasone valerate twice daily. Mometasone valerate was significantly more effective in this single-blind study; in general, a striking effect was noted after 1 week. In 36 patients with allergic contact dermatitis, no significant difference was noted between the two creams. Except for mild signs of skin thinning, only negligible side effects were reported, and no suppression of plasma cortisol levels were registered in the 41 investigated cases.