title: Serum concentrations of interleukin-2 and tumour necrosis factor-α under cyclosporine versus acitretin treatment in plaque-type psoriasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A prospective, randomized clinical study to compare the short-term effects of cyclosporin and acitretin on psoriasis severity, and serum interleukin (IL)-2 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis were randomly assigned to receive either 3 mg/kg per day cyclosporine or 0.3-0.5 mg/kg per day acitretin for 8 weeks. Disease severity (psoriasis area severity index [PASI] score) and serum IL-2 and TNF-α concentrations were determined before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PASI scores and serum IL-2 and TNF-α concentrations were significantly decreased after treatment with either cyclosporine (n = 21) or acitretin (n = 25). There were no statistically significant between-group differences in any parameter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acitretin and cyclosporine are equally effective in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey cenkakcali@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cenk
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akçali
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Avukat Cengiz Gokcek State Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ebru Homurlu
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Guven
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Necmettin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kirtak
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: H Serhat
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Inaloz
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozgoztasi
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Clinic, Medical Park Hospital, Tarsus, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ulas
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Guvenc
mesh_terms: D017255:Acitretin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016572:Cyclosporine; D017255:Acitretin
keywords: Psoriasis; acitretin; cyclosporine; interleukin-2 (IL-2); tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)