Efficacy and tolerance of tacrolimus and pimecrolimus for atopic dermatitis: a meta-analysis

Tacrolimus ointment and pimecrolimus cream have proved to be suitable for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. We conducted a meta-analysis of the efficacy, adverse events/withdrawal of tacrolimus versus pimecrolimus in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. According to our meta-analysis, 0.1% tacrolimus was more effective than 1% pimecrolimus in the treatment of adult patients and moderate to very severe pediatric patients, and more 0.1% mild pediatric patients treatal with pimecrolimus withdrew from the trials because of a lack of efficacy or the occurrence of adverse events, compared with mild pediatric patients treated with 0.03% tacrolimus. The combined analyses of tacrolimus with pimecrolimus showed that tacrolimus was more effective than pimecrolimus (week 3: RR=0.67, 95% CI=0.56-0.80; week 6/end of study: RR=0.65, 95% CI=0.57-0.75), and fewer tacrolimus-treated patients withdrew because of a lack of efficacy (RR=0.32, 95CI%=0.19-0.53) or the occurrence of adverse events (RR=0.43, 95% CI=0.24-0.75), compared with pimecrolimus-treated patients. In conclusion, tacrolimus has higher efficacy and better tolerance than pimecrolimus in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.