title: Intermittent application of clobetasol-17-propionate in psoriasis.
abstract: A double-blind study was carried out in 12 hospitalized patients with symmetrical eruptions of psoriasis to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with 0.05% clobetasol propionate ointment, applied once daily, to one side for 2 weeks compared with 1 week of active treatment and 1 week of vehicle alone to the other side. The results of clinical assessments of scaling, redness, and induration before and after each week of treatment showed only a very slight difference in favour of 2-weeks' continuous treatment when analyzed using a one-tailed Student's t-test (p = 0.047) but not when two-tailed testing was used (p = 0.094). Although it would appear that there was no clear preference for continuous therapy, other studies involving larger numbers of patients are needed to determine whether intermittent therapy with a potent corticosteroid such as clobetasol propionate is equally as effective in psoriasis.
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D002990:Clobetasol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D001623:Betamethasone; D002990:Clobetasol