title: Intermittent corticosteroid maintenance treatment of psoriasis: a double-blind multicenter trial of augmented betamethasone dipropionate ointment in a pulse dose treatment regimen.
abstract: Ninety psoriasis patients, who were either completely cleared of or manifested only a minimal presence of disease signs following 3-4 weeks of twice daily treatment with augmented betamethasone dipropionate (ABD) ointment 0.05%, were enrolled in this multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The study was designed to determine if an intermittent pulse dose regimen of ABD ointment could safely and effectively maintain a remission disease status when treatment was applied in three consecutive applications 12 h apart, once a week for a maximum treatment period of 6 months. The disease of 60% of the patients in the active treatment group was successfully controlled for 6 months, while 80% of the placebo-treated patients experienced exacerbation of disease signs. No serious local or systemic treatment-related adverse experiences were reported. ABD ointment 0.05%, when applied using the intermittent treatment regimen described here, was shown to be a clinically beneficial and well-tolerated method of long-term (up to 6 months) maintenance therapy for psoriasis patients.
authors.affiliation: Minnesota Clinical Study Center, Fridley.
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Prawer
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Medansky
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Samson
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009824:Ointments; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D009824:Ointments; C011175:betamethasone-17,21-dipropionate; D001623:Betamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone