Table 2.

Evidence for efficacy of pimecrolimus in thin skin areas

First author of study, year, reference	Age of patients	n	Body area	Outcome
Sigurgeirsson B, 2015 (PETITE Study) [74]	Infants (3–12 months) followed to age 5–6 years	2418	Facial AD	Treatment success (facial IGA score 0 or 1) achieved by 61.0 and 61.8% of patients in pimecrolimus and TCS groups, respectively, after 3 weeks of treatment; 96.6 and 97.2% of patients, respectively, had IGA score 0 or 1 at end of 5-year study
Hoeger PH, 2009 [92]	2–11 years	200	Facial AD	IGA score 0 or 1 in 74.5% of patients in pimecrolimus group, vs. 51.0% in vehicle group (p < 0.001) at 6 weeks
Zuberbier T, 2008 [93]	2–17 years	140	Facial AD	Pimecrolimus delayed time to first flare (138 vs. 68 days; p = 0.01) and reduced need for TCS (11.7 vs. 20.7%; p = 0.0024) compared with vehicle 50% of pimecrolimus-treated patients free from facial AD flare over 24 weeks, vs. 37.5% in vehicle group (p = 0.012)
Kempers S, 2004 [69]	2–17 years	141	Head and neck	53.7% reduction in head/neck BSA affected with pimecrolimus vs. 34.9% reduction with tacrolimus
Lubbe J, 2006 (Prospective study in clinical practice) [94]	3 months to 81 years	947	Facial AD	65–80% of patients (varying across age groups) achieved facial IGA 0 or 1 after 24 weeks of pimecrolimus treatment Improvement more pronounced for facial IGA than whole body IGA (43–54% with IGA 0 or 1 at 24 weeks)
Murrell DF, 2007 [95]	≥ 12 years (adolescent/adult)	200	Facial AD	Facial IGA 0 or 1 in 46.5% of pimecrolimus-treated patients vs. 16.2% in vehicle group (p < 0.001) at 6 weeks
			Head and neck	≥ 60% change in head/neck EASI score in 50.5% of pimecrolimus-treated patients vs. 18.2% in vehicle group (p < 0.001) at 6 weeks
			Eyelids	44.6% of patients in pimecrolimus group vs 19.2% in vehicle group (p < 0.001) clear of eyelid dermatitis at 6 weeks

AD Atopic dermatitis, BSA body surface area, EASI Eczema Area and Severity Index, IGA Investigator Global Assessment (Score 0 = clear; 1 = almost clear), TCS topical corticosteroids