Managing atopic eczema

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7541.0

BMJ 2006;332 (11 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7541.0

Managing atopic eczema

Atopic eczema is a complex trait with important (but not wellunderstood) genetic and environmental influences, and its prevalenceis rising, say Brown and Reynolds on page 584. Their clinicalreview on eczema explores its management with emollients andtopical steroids for mild to moderate eczema and additionallywith second line agents such as calcineurin inhibitors, ultravioletphototherapy, and systemic azathioprine for more severe forms.It also describes current knowledge on pathophysiology and geneticfactors.