Chronic hand dermatitis (CHaD) is a frequent and distressing disease. Conventional treatments yield mostly unsatisfactory results. In addition, chronic hand dermatitis leads to 2-5% of all applications for permanent disability pensions in some western countries. In a therapeutic dose finding study alitretinoin was clinically effective for patients with moderate to severe chronic hand dermatitis refractory to topical treatment.~Patients with severe refractory CHaD will be allocated either of two active treatments or placebo. The primary objective is to demonstrate the response rate based on physicians global assessment of the disease.
The purpose of the study is to determine the therapeutic effect of alitretinoin, a retinoid, on severe, therapy refractory chronic hand dermatitis.