Dosing
- For the acute stage of eczema daily application of Cutivate is recommended
- New evidence guides us to apply Cutivate twice a week to maintain control of eczema. This reduces the potential of side effects as well as the cost of therapy
Efficacy
- Although not indicated for use on children in Canada, studies have shown that once daily application is safe and effective in children with atopic eczema.
- This novel topical steroid is both potent as well as having a good safety profile in that it has an improved topical/systemic activity ratio. In other words its potency gives efficacy with no or little risk of HPA axis suppression.
[Wolkerstorfer A et al JAAD 1998;39:226-31]
Compliance
- Daily application in the acute phase and thereafter twice weekly maintaince should help with compliance
- Cutivate being a potent topical corticosteroid works more quickly than the weaker products which generally improves compliance
- Cosmetic elegance has been shown to be superior to Elocom, Westcort, Lidex and Kenalog.
[Hadzija W. et al Cutis Vol 57. No 2s Feb. 1996]
Side Effects, Safety and Risks
- Approx 270 million packs sold since 1990 in US
- From 1992 ~ July ‘04, five (5) spontaneous reports of skin atrophy.
- Cutivate cream 0.05% cream appears safe for the treatment of severe eczema for up to 4 weeks in children of 3 months and older.
[Friedlander SF et al JAAD 2002:46:387-93]
- No skin atrophy showed after 8 weeks of use compared with placebo.
[Dykes PJ Clinical and Experimental Dermatology 1996;21:180-184]
Cost of Treatment
- Cost of this drug is in line with other potent topical corticosteroids.
- Cost effectiveness is seen if effective clinical response is realized. The utilization of a twice a week regimen significantly reduces costs.
Potent | Potent | Moderately Potent | Non-steroidal | Non-steroidal |
Cutivate Fluticasone propionate (1x daily) | Elocom Mometasone furoate (1x daily) | Eumovate Clobetasone butyrate (2x daily) | Protopic Tacrolimus (2x daily) | Elidel Pimecrolimus (2x daily) |
$7.70 | $14 | $21.56 | $83.07 | $67.20 |
Treatment for 14 days. Cost is for 1 gram per treatment.