Pimecrolimus 1% cream for pruritus in postmenopausal diabetic women with vulvar lichen simplex chronicus: a prospective non-controlled case series.

Background: Pruritus vulvae may have a variety of causes, such as infections, dermatologic disorders or non-neoplastic/neoplastic vulvar diseases.

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and side effects of topical pimecrolimus 1% cream for pruritus vulvae.

Methods: Twelve postmenopausal diabetic women with vulvar lichen simplex chronicus were enrolled in this trial. Each patient was treated with pimecrolimus 1% cream which was applied twice daily in a thin layer to the vulvae for 3 months. Clinical examination and recording of patients' symptoms using a scoring system was performed by the same physician before, after 4 weeks and after 3 months of therapy.

Results: All of the patients completed the study. A substantial decrease in pruritus after treatment was reported by the patients at the 4th week (2.17+/-0.72, p<0.01) and 3rd month of treatment (0.42+/-0.92, p<0.001) when compared with the baseline score (3.75+/-0.45). Follow-up of the patients after 3 months of treatment showed that complete cure occurred in 10 patients (83.3%) and the pruritus was improved in two (16.7%) patients.

Conclusions: Pimecrolimus 1% cream seems to be an effective and safe treatment modality for pruritus in postmenopausal women with vulvar lichen simplex chronicus.