title: Calcipotriol plus betamethasone dipropionate gel compared with tacalcitol ointment and the gel vehicle alone in patients with psoriasis vulgaris: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the efficacy and safety of once daily treatment of Daivobet®/Dovobet® gel in patients with psoriasis vulgaris, relative to tacalcitol ointment and the gel vehicle alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  458 patients with at least moderately severe disease were randomized in 3 treatment arms for an 8-week period. Treatment was investigator blinded, and treatment success was defined as patients with an Investigator's Global Assessment of 'clear' or 'almost clear' at week 8.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of patients who were 'clear or almost clear' was significantly higher in the 2-compound gel group (39.9%) compared with 17.9% in the tacalcitol group and 5.5% in the gel vehicle group: p < 0.001 in both comparisons. The proportion of patients with at least 1 adverse drug reaction was significantly lower in the 2-compound gel group compared to the other 2 treatment groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Once-a-day treatment with the 2-compound Daivobet/Dovobet gel is a safe and efficacious therapeutic regimen for individuals with psoriasis on the body.
authors.affiliation: Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., Canada.
authors.forename: Richard G B
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Langley
authors.forename: Aditya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papp
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wexler
authors.forename: Marie Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Østerdal
authors.forename: Dušica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Curčić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004100:Dihydroxycholecalciferols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009823:Ointment Bases; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D004100:Dihydroxycholecalciferols; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005782:Gels; D009823:Ointment Bases; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; C517164:betamethasone dipropionate, calcipotriol drug combination; C023850:1 alpha,24-dihydroxyvitamin D3; D001623:Betamethasone; D002117:Calcitriol