title: Side-effect profile of acitretin therapy in psoriasis.
abstract: Acitretin, the principal and free acid metabolite of etretinate, was used to treat patients with stable, plaque-type psoriasis. For the first 8 weeks, 38 patients received placebo or acitretin, 10, 25, 50, or 75 mg daily, in a double-blind manner. After the double-blind phase, the patients were allowed to continue for a total of 6 months of acitretin therapy at an average dosage of 50 mg/day. When the patients flared after stopping therapy, an additional 6-month course of acitretin therapy was offered. Acitretin, which was as effective as etretinate, had to be given at a dosage of 50 mg/day or more to obtain a significant benefit. Side effects frequently occurred in patients receiving acitretin, 25 mg/day or more, but were generally mild and did not warrant discontinuation of therapy. They were similar to those of etretinate therapy; cheilitis, peeling of palms and soles, and alopecia occurred most frequently. The most common abnormal laboratory test results were elevations in serum triglycerides and, to a lesser extent, serum cholesterol and liver transaminase levels. Acitretin, in view of its much shorter half-life and similar efficacy and side-effect profile compared with etretinate, may be a preferable therapy for psoriasis, especially in women of childbearing age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0314.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Goldfarb
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Voorhees
mesh_terms: D017255:Acitretin; D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D014212:Tretinoin; D017255:Acitretin