Forty subjects who were suffering from chronic skin complications of SM and were diagnosed to have severe atopic dermatitis, were assigned to IFN-γ (50 μg/m2) subcutaneously three times per week (n = 20) or betamethasone valerate topical cream 0.1% (n = 20) every night for 30 days. The gene discussed is IFNG; the disease is atopic eczema.