title: Current trends in the treatment of psoriasis.
abstract: New treatment modalities are now available in the management of psoriasis. We report our local studies on these new modalities. Application of dithranol for 1/2 hour is just as effective as when applied for 24 hours. This means less staining of the skin, clothes and no more burns. Oral retinoids gave more than 70% improvement in six of the seven patients with recalcitrant psoriasis. Oral retinoids produced more than 75% improvement in all eight patients with pustular psoriasis. PUVA therapy gave a complete clearance rate of 77% with an average of 25 sessions of treatment and an average total UVA dose of 346 J/cm2. However REPUVA (retinoids and PUVA) produced a complete clearance rate of 73% with an average of 18 sessions of treatment and an average total UVA dose of 142 J/cm2. The newer forms of treatment together with the established therapies have tremendously improved the total management of patients with psoriasis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000875:Anthralin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005050:Etretinate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D014212:Tretinoin; D005050:Etretinate; D000875:Anthralin; D008727:Methotrexate