Systemic therapy of atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease. Topical therapy is the mainstay, but patients with widespread moderate to severe atopic dermatitis may require systemic therapy. Immunosuppressants, immune response modifiers, antihistamines and antibiotics are among the classes of systemic medications frequently used to treat extensive atopic dermatitis; the indications and scientific support for the use of these and other less commonly used medications will be reviewed in this article.