Posted on the Pediatric SuperSite on March 10, 2009
Post 9/11, kerion treatment changed
Concerns about terroristic attacks on nuclear power plants led many
communities to distribute potassium iodide to people in the surrounding area,
making this tablet – commonly used to treat kerions – difficult to
come by.
In response to the new demand for potassium iodide, researchers at
Drexel University in Philadelphia sought alternative kerion treatments and may
have found a more effective one.
Meghan O’Brien, of Drexel University,
presented data at the 67th Annual American Academy of Dermatology
Meeting on what she dubbed a “new treatment paradigm” for kerions.
Traditionally, the treatment of kerions has been directed at the underlying
dermatophyte, often using griseofulvin. But O’Brien said that their
research indicates that the inflammation itself is what should be the initial
focus of treatment.
In a poster, O’Brien and colleagues detailed treatment outcomes for
39 cases of kerion, 25 of which received potassium iodide 3 and 14 received
oral prednisone.
O’Brien said in the earlier study group, pre-2001, 18 of 25
patients responded within two weeks of treatment with potassium iodide, and
others responded within four weeks. However, in the prednisone group, some
patients achieved resolution as early as one week, with a median of two weeks.
She said this was noted even in two patients who received only prednisone, with
no griseofulvin use.
O’Brien said their data indicate that kerions should be treated
with short-courses of systemic prednisone, similar to treatment of poison ivy
with treating shampoo. – by Colleen Zacharyczuk
For more information:
- O’Brien M. #P206. Presented at: the 67th Annual Meeting of the
American Academy of Dermatology; March 6-10, 2009; San Francisco.
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