Topical Transient Heat by The Medical Device Epiivo® Immediately Reduces Pruritus in Atopic Dermatitis, So Improves Quality of Life Significantly

Atopic dermatitis (AD) represents a chronic inflammatory skin disorder affecting millions of people as children but also while adolescence and adulthood. Next to erythema and dry skin particularly at all flexural surfaces of extremities is chronic pruritus the dominating symptom, impairing quality of life (QoL) drastically. Aim was to reduce the annoying itching by topical transient heat using the medical product epiivo® (mibeTec, Germany). Its active principle succeeded already to relieve itching from insect bites or experimentally induced pruritus. As single-arm cohort 25 volunteers with mild to moderate AD applied epiivo® on itching skin ad libitum frequently over 4 weeks in everyday life. The portable, handheld epiivo® transfers transiently 47 or 49 oC by direct skin contact. Participants answered every second day an online questionnaire about position and frequency of applied epiivo® next to felt pruritus intensity. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and severity of atopic dermatitis (SCORing AD, SCORAD) were assessed too. Participants applied epiivo® twice daily on arm/crook, leg/bend, and other skin areas (e.g. décolleté, back), 3 times daily on face/neck and hands. This intervention resulted in significant reduction of itching intensity. In consequence severity of AD was significantly reduced after 4 weeks using epiivo®, confirmed by DLQI indicating significantly decreased influence of AD on QoL. Application of the epiivo® was dermatologically tolerated well. This for the first-time evidenced efficacy of counter stimulatory heat in the context of AD can enrich the antipruritic treatment arsenal. The principle could unfold its beneficial effect also on other pruritus dominated skin disorders.

Keywords: Atopic dermatitis; Pruritus treatment.