Methotrexate-betamethasone weekly oral pulse in psoriasis.
OBJECTIVE
Methotrexate in psoriasis helps to clear the lesions fast but remission is short. To produce long-term remission, methotrexate has been combined with betamethasone.


METHODS
A total of 40 patients with psoriasis (plaque type: 36, erythrodermic: four) were included in an open randomized study. Twenty-eight patients received weekly 15 mg methotrexate and 3 mg betamethasone orally and 12 patients received weekly 15 mg methotrexate orally alone until the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores were reduced to 95-100% of the baseline scores. Follow-up was carried out until relapse of the lesions.


RESULTS
Methotrexate combined with betamethasone orally weekly cleared the lesions in 27.13+/-2.39 (24.74-29.52) days with a remission period of 91.78+/-14.19 (77.59-105.97) days, whereas methotrexate alone took 33.09+/-5.61 (27.48-38.70) days to clear the lesions with a remission period of 20.30+/-2.50 (17.80-22.80) days.


CONCLUSIONS
Methotrexate combined with betamethasone cleared the lesions faster and with a longer remission period compared with methotrexate alone.
Gupta
Ramji
R
Department of Dermatology, Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, New Delhi, India. drramjigupta@yahoo.co.in
Gupta
Sarthak
S
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D001623:Betamethasone; D008727:Methotrexate