This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citing articles on ISI (2)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Dermatologic Disorders, Other  • Drug Therapy  • Adverse Effects  • Alert me on articles by topic

Marvin Rapaport, MD

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

The Cutting Edge article "Successful Treatment of Severe Atopic Dermatitis in a Child and an Adult With the T-Cell Modulator Efalizumab"¹ in the May 2006 issue of the ARCHIVES discusses another medication for this disease with both short- and long-term potential for toxic effects added to the panoply of similar medications, including azathioprine, mycophenolate, cyclosporine, and other immunomodulators. As yet unknown adverse effects of efalizumab might preclude its long-term use. I suggest another approach to the "problem" of atopy before instituting treatments with new medications.

In the case report by Weinberg and Siegfried,¹ a diffuse erythema coupled with the typical eczematous patches in the popliteal area is seen in patient 1. I believe that this diffuse erythema represents corticosteroid addiction with rebound vasodilatation, not worsening eczema.^2-5 Patient 2 demonstrates "spongiotic dermatitis" on the skin biopsy specimen. All of the biopsy specimens from my patients who were . . . [Full Text of this Article]

AUTHOR INFORMATION