Effectiveness of ketotifen in the treatment of neurodermatitis in childhood.

17 children suffering from neurodermatitis, aged 2 to 14 years, were treated with ketotifen at a dosage of 1 mg twice daily. In 7 children polyvalent therapy was given. Ketotifen therapy produced a pronounced alleviation of the itching within only two weeks and the patients became entirely itching free after 20 days on an average. The improvement of skin lesions appeared after two months of treatment. Patients became entirely skin lesions free between seven and nine months. In three patients the deterioration of skin lesions was triggered with infection. With regard to long-lasting of Ketotifen therapy, the side effects were not observed.