Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have successfully treated patients with moderate to severe eczema using a rheumatoid arthritis drug recently shown to reverse two other disfiguring skin conditions, vitiligo and alopecia areata. The study is evidence of a potential new era in eczema treatment, they report. The research findings were published online on July 17, 2015 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The article is titled “Treatment of Recalcitrant Atopic Dermatitis with the Oral Janus Kinase Inhibitor Tofacitinib Citrate.” Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a chronic condition that causes severe itching and leaves the skin red and thickened. It can adversely affect sleep and quality of life. Standard treatments, such as steroid creams and oral medicines, commonly fail to relieve symptoms in patients with moderate to severe eczema. Based on current scientific models of eczema biology, Yale Assistant Professor of Dermatology Brett King, M.D., Ph.D., hypothesized that a drug already approved for rheumatoid arthritis, tofacitinib citrate, would interrupt the immune response that causes eczema. The drug is an inhibitor of Janus kinase. In the new study, Dr. King and his colleagues report that treatment with the drug led to dramatic improvement in six patients with moderate to severe eczema who had previously tried conventional therapies without success. During treatment, all six patients reported significant reduction in itching, as well as improved sleep. The redness and thickening of the skin diminished, also. "These individuals were not only very happy with the results, they also expressed a tremendous sense of relief at being comfortable in their skin for the first time in many years," Dr. King said. Dr.Login Or Register To Read Full Story