Handbook of Atopic Eczema

Atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis, neurodermitis diffusa, endogenous eczema) is one of the most common skin diseases of our time and is still increasing in prevalence dramatically all over the world. The reasons for this increase are not known. It occurs at any age, not only in childhood, approximately 2/3 of children affected will suffer from this disease when they are grown-up. Written by leading experts of their field, this second edition comprises the state of the art in pathophysiology, clinical medicine and therapeutic management. It demonstrates that there is no simple miracle cream, pill or diet for this disease, but that a disturbed barrier function can only be repaired by adequate and individualized skin care and it shows how unspecific anti-inflammatory treatment has to be individually tailored according to body area affected, patient age and acuity of skin lesions. All physicians will find this book most helpful in the painstaking search for the individual causal or eliciting factors. TOC:From the contents:Management of patients with atopic eczema.- Primary prevention of atopy.- Role of allergy testing.- Probiotic foods in the prevention.- Measuring disturbed barrier function.- Vehicles of topical treatment: Composition, principles of application and action.- Topical glucocorticosteroids.- Antimicrobial agents.- Antihistamines.- Clima-therapy.- Skin care and aesthetic medicine.- Dietary management.- Ultraviolet radiation therapy.- Psychotherapeutic approaches.- Phosphodiesterase inhibitors.- Therapy.- Systemic and topical immunomodulatory treatment.- Patient education programs.- Unconventional treatments.- Health economics.- Sense and nonsense of unconventional methods.- Management of patients with atopic eczema: Synopsis.