title: Patient perspectives on treating psoriasis with classic inpatient dithranol therapy: a retrospective patient survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence of the efficacy of dithranol and patient perspectives on the treatment is scant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a telephone interview survey, we collected retrospective data from 63 patients (41 men [65.1 %] and 22 women [34.9 %]) who had been treated with classic inpatient dithranol (CID). PsoRA (www.psoriasisregistry.at) was used to obtain clinical data and treatment responses, which were then correlated with the interview responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-two (82.5 %) patients achieved a PASI75 and 51 (81 %) a PASI90 response within a median of 12.5 (range: 3 to 25) days. Ten out of twelve (83 %) patients showed a satisfactory response to CID (PASI75 or greater reduction) despite the fact that they had previously failed to adequately respond to methotrexate, oral retinoids, cyclosporine, or ustekinumab. Overall, patients recalled a median recurrence-free interval of four (95 % CI: 3-9) months after responding to CID, which was positively correlated with the patients' recommendation of (p = 0.018) and their overall high satisfaction with the treatment (p = 0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the known limitations of CID, this survey indicates that dithranol remains a highly efficacious and valuable treatment option as induction therapy in psoriasis. CID can be effective in patients who have failed to respond to systemic therapy, including traditional agents and biologics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.|Department of Dermatology, State Hospital Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria.
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Painsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, State Hospital Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patscheider
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.|Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inzinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, State Hospital Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lange-Asschenfeldt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quehenberger
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000875:Anthralin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D000875:Anthralin