Background: Chronic eczema has the characteristics of a long treatment cycle and repeated attacks, which seriously affects the daily life and work of patients. Topical glucocorticoids are the first-line treatment for chronic eczema. This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the effects of halometasone cream combined with Simiao pill on the efficacy and expression of serum leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in patients with eczema, and identify the factors influencing its clinical efficacy.

Methods: We retrospectively collected the medical records of 195 patients with chronic eczema treated in the dermatology department from January 2020 to May 2021, and divided them into two groups according to medication: 98 cases were treated with halometasone cream (control group) and 97 cases were treated with halometasone ointment combined with Simiao pill (observation group). The severity of eczema, quality of life, clinical efficacy, LTB4 and TSLP levels, and safety were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent factors affecting clinical efficacy.

Results: After treatment, the Eczema area and severity index (EASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores in the observation group were markedly lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). The total clinical effective rate of the observation group was 88.8%, which was notably higher than that of the control group 70.1% (P=0.001). The concentrations of serum LTB4 and TSLP in the observation group were markedly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the treatment regimen, digestive system symptoms, heavy aching limbs, and damp-heat tongue and pulse were independent factors affecting the curative effect of the patients (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Simiao pill combined with halometasone cream can effectively improve chronic eczema and enhance the clinical efficacy of treatment, which may be related to the reduction of serum LTB4 and TSLP levels. The treatment plan, digestive system symptoms, heavy aching limbs, and damp-heat tongue and pulse are the main factors that affecting the clinical curative effect. Thus, clinical intervention programs should be made according to the above factors to improve the quality of life of patients.