MONDAY, Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Despite the fact that bath emollients are widely prescribed to patients with eczema, there is no published evidence from randomized controlled trials to support their use, according to an article published in the October issue of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin.
In the United Kingdom, 38 percent of the total National Health Service expenditure on treatments for preschool children diagnosed with eczema is spent on expensive bath emollients, the article notes. The preparations are also available over-the-counter at a higher price.
However, key questions regarding their efficacy in treating atopic eczema remain unanswered, such as how their use compares with a regular water bath and whether using bath emollients affects patients' adherence to other forms of emollient therapy.
The authors conclude that while there is published evidence to support the use of topical emollients to manage atopic eczema, the same cannot be said for bath emollients. "Treatment strategies in which patients successfully apply emollients to the skin without ever using bath emollients are entirely reasonable," they write.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
