Abstract

Background: Concern exists that the prolonged application of immunomodulators to treat atopic dermatitis may cause systemic immunosuppression.

Aims: In a 7-month, multicentre, randomised, controlled trial, we investigated the equivalence of response to vaccination against meningococcal serogroup C disease with a protein-conjugate vaccine in children (2–11 years) with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, by applying either 0.03% tacrolimus ointment (TAC-O; n = 21) or a hydrocortisone ointment regimen (HC-O; n = 111).

Methods: TAC-O was applied twice daily (bid) for 3 weeks, and thereafter daily until clearance. 1% hydrocortisone acetate (HA) for head/neck and 0.1% hydrocortisone butyrate ointment for trunk/limbs was applied bid for 2 weeks; thereafter HA was applied bid to all affected areas. At week 1, patients were vaccinated with protein-conjugate vaccine against meningococcal serogroup C, and challenged at month 6 with low dose meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine. The control group (44 non-atopic dermatatits children) received the primary vaccination and challenge dose. Assessments were made at baseline, weeks 1 and 5, and months 6 and 7. The primary end point was the percentage of patients with a serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) titre ⩾8 at the week 5 visit.

Results: The response rate (patients with SBA titre ⩾8) was 97.5% (confidence interval (CI) approximately 97.3 to 100), 99.1% (94.8 to 100) and 97.7% (93.3 to 100) in the TAC-O, HC-O and control groups, respectively.

Conclusions: The immune response to vaccination against meningococcal serogroup C in children with atopic dermatitis applying either 0.03% TAC-O or HC is equivalent. Ointment application does not affect the immediate response to vaccination, generation of immune memory or humoral and cell-mediated immunity.