Topical use of systemic drugs in dermatology: A comprehensive review

Background Topical use of systemic agents to treat cutaneous disorders is widely applied. However, there is a lack of articles summarizing the relevant literature in a systematic way. Objective We sought to review the published literature regarding topical use of systemic drugs that were categorized...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2011-11, Vol.65 (5), p.1048.e1-1048.e22
Main Authors: Chiu, Hsien-Yi, MD, Tsai, Tsen-Fang, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administration, Cutaneous
Administration, Topical
Biological and medical sciences
compounding
comprehensive review
Dermatologic Agents - administration & dosage
Dermatologic Agents - adverse effects
Dermatologic Agents - classification
Dermatologic Agents - pharmacokinetics
Dermatologic Agents - therapeutic use
Dermatology
Drug Compounding
extemporaneous
Humans
Medical sciences
Off-Label Use
percutaneous penetration
Precision Medicine
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
self-compounding
Skin Diseases - drug therapy
topical
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Description
Summary:Background Topical use of systemic agents to treat cutaneous disorders is widely applied. However, there is a lack of articles summarizing the relevant literature in a systematic way. Objective We sought to review the published literature regarding topical use of systemic drugs that were categorized according to their mode of actions. Only drugs that are not yet commercially available in a topical preparation are included. Methods A PubMed search was performed, using as key words “topical,” “extemporaneous,” “compounding,” and names of each generic drug, to identify all clinical reports (1966-2009). Results Although many systemic drugs are used topically, randomized controlled trials were limited to a few agents. Limitation Many of the reports consist only of small case series or are anecdotal in nature. As the level of evidence is limited, larger prospective trials are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. Conclusion Extemporaneous compounding helps physicians to individualize treatment to the patient’s specific needs and to create topical preparations that are not otherwise commercially available. However, comparative effectiveness studies are needed to determine whether or not topical use of systemic therapeutics is more beneficial than existing therapies.
ISSN:0190-9622
1097-6787
DOI:10.1016/j.jaad.2010.08.034