Hand eczema and other inflammatory skin diseases: efficacy of oral alitretinoin.

discontinuation of treatment. Clinical response or improvement was also observed in patients suffering of eczema of the feet, widespread eczema, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Conclusion This study provides evidence that oral alitretinoin is effective in hand eczema. We confirm oral alitretinoin as desirable treatment in chronic hand eczema due to its antiinflammatory activity and safety profile without altering skin barrier function. Moreover, its shorter half-life makes it a preferable treatment in women in childbearing age compared with other retinoids. Our data also showed its efficacy in other skin inflammatory diseases, as previously reported in the literature. Further studies will have to support its use in other skin inflammatory diseases with palmar and extra-palmar localization.