Untreatable Eczema Beat with Arthritis Drug, Yale Researchers Say

An arthritis drug can beat chronic eczema, according to a new study by Yale researchers.

Tofacitinib citrate, used for rheumatoid arthritis, led to dramatic improvement in eczema in six patients with moderate to severe forms of the chronic ailment, who had previously tried conventional treatments without improvement, according to the study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Itching was significantly reduced, sleep was improved, and the redness and thickening of the skin was much reduced, according to Brett King, the assistant professor of dermatology, who was one of the authors.

“These individuals were not only very happy with the results, they also expressed a tremendous sense of relief at being comfortable in their skin for the first time in many years,” King said.

The scoring for the atopic dermatitis index decreased by 66.6 percent for the six patients, they added.

The drug apparently works to interrupt the immune response that causes eczema.