title: Treatment of psoriasis with retinoids: present status.
abstract: Oral retinoids such as etretinate/acitretin are well established for the treatment of severe generalized psoriasis. They are particularly useful for the management of pustular and erythrodermic variants and plaque-type psoriasis because they act synergistically with many other topical antipsoriatic agents (corticosteroids, anthralin, tar, and phototherapies). Oral regimens are dose-dependent, and, if carefully administered, are manageable and tolerable. Long-term toxicity is rare; however, teratogenicity restricts the use of oral retinoids and requires close monitoring in females. In recent years, a topical agent, tazarotene, has been developed and added to the armamentarium of psoriasis therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Orfanos
mesh_terms: D017255:Acitretin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005050:Etretinate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012176:Retinoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D012176:Retinoids; D005050:Etretinate; D017255:Acitretin