title: Evaluating the potential clinical benefits of switching patients with plaque psoriasis from calcipotriene to tazarotene treatment.
abstract: Overall results from a multicenter study involving more than 1000 patients with plaque psoriasis treated with tazarotene 0.1% gel plus a topical corticosteroid are soon to be published. This report considers a subgroup of 246 patients from that study who were switched from calcipotriene plus corticosteroid treatment (at baseline) to tazarotene plus corticosteroid for up to 12 weeks. Moderate (> or = 50%) global improvement was achieved in 75% of patients between the baseline visit (when on calcipotriene therapy) and the final visit (when on tazarotene therapy). Considerable additional reductions (38%-50%) in overall severity of plaque psoriasis, plaque elevation, scaling, pruritus, and overall discomfort were achieved over and above improvements already achieved with calcipotriene therapy. Furthermore, 74% of patients were satisfied with their treatment regimen at the final visit (when on tazarotene therapy), compared with 17% at baseline (when on calcipotriene therapy).
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coynik
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009539:Nicotinic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D012176:Retinoids
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002117:Calcitriol; D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D009539:Nicotinic Acids; C055085:calcipotriene; C086827:tazarotene; D012176:Retinoids