Efficacy of treatment with calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate followed by calcipotriol alone compared with tacalcitol for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris: a randomised, double-blind trial.
BACKGROUND
A two-compound product containing calcipotriol 50 microg/g and betamethasone dipropionate 0.5 mg/g (Daivobet, Dovobet) has been demonstrated to be an effective, once daily, treatment for psoriasis vulgaris.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy and safety of treatment with the two-compound product for 4 weeks followed by calcipotriol for 4 weeks, with that of tacalcitol for 8 weeks in patients with stable psoriasis vulgaris.


METHODS
501 patients were randomised to double-blind treatment with the two-compound product followed by calcipotriol 50 microg/g once daily, or to tacalcitol 4 microg/g once daily.


RESULTS
Treatment with the two-compound product/calcipotriol was significantly more effective than tacalcitol in terms of mean percentage PASI reduction (65.0 vs. 33.3% at week 4 and 59.0 vs. 38.4% at week 8; p < 0.001 for both).


CONCLUSIONS
A treatment regimen comprising calcipotriol/betamethasone ointment (Daivobet) for 4 weeks followed by calcipotriol for 4 weeks is superior to tacalcitol ointment for 8 weeks in patients with psoriasis vulgaris.
Ortonne
J-P
JP
Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Nice, France. Jean-Paul.Ortonne@unice.fr
Kaufmann
R
R
Lecha
M
M
Goodfield
M
M
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004100:Dihydroxycholecalciferols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004100:Dihydroxycholecalciferols; D004338:Drug Combinations; C055085:calcipotriene; C023850:1 alpha,24-dihydroxyvitamin D3; C011175:betamethasone-17,21-dipropionate; D001623:Betamethasone; D002117:Calcitriol