Hydrocortisone 1% Cream and Sertaconazole 2% Cream to Treat Facial Seborrheic Dermatitis: A Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial Publisher



Balighi K¹ ; Ghodsi SZ¹ ; Daneshpazhooh M¹ ; Ghalebaghi S² ; Nasimi M¹ ; Azizpour A¹ Show Affiliations
Source: International Journal of Women's Dermatology Published:2017

Abstract

Background Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a chronic dermatitis with periods of remission and relapse that requires long-term treatment. Objective We compared the efficacy and safety of treatment with sertaconazole with standard corticosteroid medications in adults with facial SD. Methods In this double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 60 patients with a diagnosis of SD were enrolled. Patients were instructed to apply either sertaconazole 2% cream (30 patients) or hydrocortisone 1% cream (30 patients) twice daily to the affected area of the face. The severity of facial SD was assessed at 0, 2, and 4 weeks of treatment. Secondary efficacy measures included patient assessment of seborrhea, adverse events, and improvement percentage (IP). Results SD lesions cleared significantly (p <.05) and similarly in both treatment groups (p >.05). Both treatments resulted in significant improvement of SD lesions and the rate of adverse events was similar in both groups. The IP was higher for treatment with hydrocortisone in Week 2 and similar in both groups at the end of the study. Limitations Limitations include the small number of patients who were recruited for this study and the lack of evaluation of time to relapse. Conclusion Treatment with topical sertaconazole may be regarded as a substitute for topical corticosteroid medications due to the fewer adverse events and similar efficacy. © 2016 The Authors