Evaluation of a new halcinonide formulation in the treatment of common dermatoses.
An open evaluation of halcinonide 0.1 percent in a hydrophilic vanishing cream base was conducted in one hundred patients with common steroid-responsive dermatoses, including eczema, contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis stasis dermatitis, and neurodermatitis. Patients applied the cream two or three times a day for two weeks (or less if the clinical response warranted earlier discontinuation). Follow-up assessments were made on days 4, 7, and 14 of the study. Ninety-eight percent of the patients showed some degree of improvement, and eighty-five percent had complete clearing or marked improvement. One patient had no response and one worsened. Seventy-seven percent of the patients who responded achieved their maximum response within the first week of treatment. One case of urticaria was the only side effect noted in this series. Ninety-six percent of the patients rated their acceptance of the new formulation as excellent or good.