title: Clinical trial of the efficacy and safety of oral etretinate with calcipotriol cream compared with etretinate alone in moderate-severe psoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this clinical trial was to assess the efficacy and safety of calcipotriol cream associated with oral etretinate compared with etretinate alone in the treatment of moderate-severe psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This controlled multicenter trial, within patients (hemiparts), enrolled 86 in- or out-patients (62 males, 24 females), mean (+/-SD) age 57.1 +/- 14.2 years, with psoriasis vulgaris on both sides of the body, and mean (+/-SE) baseline PASI score (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) 30.7 +/- 0.9. All patients took oral etretinate 50 mg/day and applied calcipotriol cream (50 microg/g) on one half of their body twice a day. Treatment was continued for 9 weeks, and patients were seen every 3 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the first 3 weeks the PASI score indicated a significant clinical difference between the two sides of the body (P < 0.001, ANOVA), with a reduction of 50.7% in the score for the calcipotriol-treated half, compared with a 39% reduction for the untreated half. By the 9th week of treatment the PASI score was 81.4% lower on the treated half, and 70.3% on the untreated side (P < 0.001, ANOVA).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that patients with moderate-severe psoriasis might benefit from treatment with etretinate plus calcipotriol, with the aim of achieving a faster response and an overall smaller total dose of etretinate.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Dermatologica, Università, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coppini
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bertazzoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Califano
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Altieri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pazzaglia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lega
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pelfini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Veller Fornasa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rabbiosi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cespa
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005050:Etretinate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; C055085:calcipotriene; D005050:Etretinate; D002117:Calcitriol