title: Clobetasol propionate vs. mometasone furoate in 1-year proactive maintenance therapy of vulvar lichen sclerosus: results from a comparative trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Twice-weekly proactive application of mometasone furoate 0.1% ointment (MMF) over 52 weeks was found to be an effective and safe therapy option in maintaining vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) remission and in preventing relapse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess and compare the effectiveness and safety of two different topical corticosteroids, clobetasol propionate 0.05% ointment (CP) and MMF, administered twice weekly as a maintenance therapy of VLS previously stabilized with a topical corticosteroid course.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients affected with VLS who had responded to therapy with either CP or MMF in an earlier 12-week randomized active treatment phase trial were enroled in a 52-week maintenance phase (MP) to apply their previous treatment twice weekly. The main efficacy parameters were the relapse rate, the mean time of relapse, and the change in symptom and sign severity throughout MP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By the end of the 52-week MP, 2 (8.33%) subjects among the CP patients and 1 (4.17%) among the MMF patients experienced a relapse; among relapsing patients the mean time to relapse was 30 weeks. Neither subjective nor objective scores changed significantly during MP among CP and MMF patients. No significant differences were found in any of the assessed efficacy endpoints between CP and MMF. Both treatments were well tolerated and the proactive regimen was judged as convenient by patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proactive application of the ultra-potent CP and the potent MMF was found to be an effective, safe and suitable maintenance treatment for long-term management of VLS. There were no differences between the two corticosteroids.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corazza
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minghetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toni
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Virgili
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002990:Clobetasol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068656:Mometasone Furoate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D007724:Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000068656:Mometasone Furoate; D002990:Clobetasol