Abstract
Patients with severe atopic dermatitis and their physicians have been waiting for new systemic drugs for a long time. The use of conventional immunosuppressants (corticosteroids, cyclosporine A and off label use of methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine) is limited due to their long-term low efficacy, cumulative toxicity and side effects.
Phototherapy doesn't represent a long-term therapy option either and moreover, it isn't as effective as systemic treatment in atopic dermatitis. The need for long-term effective and safe drugs is evident.
Biologics, small molecules and other new drugs seem to be promising candidates. As a positive side effect of new drug introduction, the existing systemic drugs are being revisited.
This article deals with the conclusions of the European guidelines, clinical profile comparison of methotrexate and cyclosporine A, dupilumab characteristics and perspectives in systemic therapy of atopic dermatitis.