Background: Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease, affecting up to 15-30% of children in industrialized countries. As there is no definitive cure for atopic dermatitis, patients often seek other complementary therapeutic options, such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM comprises numerous treatment modalities for the management of atopic dermatitis including acupuncture and herbal medicine. We report a case of a two and a half year old child with atopic dermatitis exacerbation treated successfully with TCM. During the treatment, we observed gradual decreases in symptoms with complete disappearance of dermatological complaints following 4 months of treatment.
Conclusions: There is considerable evidence suggesting a benefit in the use of TCM for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. As the current state of evidence of TCM treatment for atopic dermatitis remains unknown, further studies should be conducted before definite guidelines can be published.
Discussion: The use of TCM has become increasingly popular among children with atopic dermatitis, as clinical evidence report efficacy in improving quality of life and symptoms severity, along with reduction of topical corticosteroid use. Yet, this data is inconclusive, as studies are not randomized double blind controlled.