title: A comparison of the efficacy and relapse rates of narrowband UVB (TL-01) monotherapy vs. etretinate (re-TL-01) vs. etretinate-PUVA (re-PUVA) in the treatment of psoriasis patients.
abstract: Forty-five patients with extensive chronic plaque or guttate psoriasis were treated with either narrowband (TL-01) phototherapy, etretinate TL-01 combination therapy (re-TL-01) or etretinate and PUVA (re-PUVA) (15 patients in each group). Re-PUVA was the most effective therapy with 100% satisfactory clearance rate. TL-01 monotherapy had an 80% success rate; the relapse rate compared favourably with re-PUVA (50% in remission after 6 months). In the etretinate-TL-01 group, there was a 93% success rate and a one-third reduction in the total irradiation dose (8.0 J/cm2 vs. 12.7 J/cm2) but the relapse rate was higher, only 33% remaining in remission after 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, U.K.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lakshmipathi
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005050:Etretinate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy
chemical_list: D005050:Etretinate