A new drug therapy to treat moderate to severe eczema in young children has been shown to be 'safe and highly effective' in clinical trials, it was revealed today. One Manchester-based doctor said it would 'revolutionise clinical practice worldwide'.
In an international study, published in the journal The Lancet, dupilumab was shown to improve the severity of the skin condition within two weeks in patients aged six months to six years. The children and their parents also reported improved sleep and quality of life.
Based on the findings, doctors believe the treatment may be approved for children under the age of six in the UK soon, after it was adopted in the US in June this year. Dupilumab is already licensed in the UK for adults and children aged six to 18. Dr Peter Arkwright, from the University of Manchester, who is principle investigator for the Manchester arm of the trial, said: "Young children and infants who have moderate to severe eczema have a substantially reduced quality of life.
