title: Photochemotherapy for severe psoriasis without or in combination with acitretin: a randomized, double-blind comparison study.
abstract: In a randomized, double-blind comparative study 60 patients with severe, widespread psoriasis were treated either with photochemotherapy (PUVA) alone or in combination with acitretin. Forty-eight patients completed the study; of these, 25 received placebo combined with PUVA and 23 received acitretin with PUVA. Marked or complete clearing of psoriasis occurred in 80% of the patients (20 of 25) without acitretin and in 96% of the patients (22 of 23) with adjunctive acitretin administration. The mean cumulative UVA dose given to patients in the acitretin-PUVA group was 42% less than that required for patients in the placebo-PUVA group. We conclude that acitretin substantially augments the efficacy of photochemotherapy in the treatment of severe psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology I, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanew
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guggenbichler
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hönigsmann
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fritsch
mesh_terms: D017255:Acitretin; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008730:Methoxsalen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D010919:Placebos; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D010919:Placebos; D014280:Triglycerides; D014212:Tretinoin; D002784:Cholesterol; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D017255:Acitretin; D008730:Methoxsalen