title: Clinical experience with systemic cyclosporine A treatment in severe childhood psoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe forms of psoriasis including erythrodermic or pustular psoriasis, which require a more aggressive therapeutic approach such as phototherapy or systemic therapies, are rarely seen. Systemic toxicity and long-term safety of these agents are serious concerns in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We report our experience on the efficacy and safety of cyclosporine A treatment in 22 patients of childhood psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the records of all patients less than 18 years of age treated with systemic cyclosporine A therapy at our clinic between January 2000 and March 2009. Demographic features as well as other relevant data including previous therapies, the dosage and duration of cyclosporine A therapy, response to treatment and side effects were retrieved from the patients' records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 22 children were treated with systemic cyclosporine A therapy. Seventeen patients were found to be excellent responders. The mean therapeutic dosage of cyclosporine A was 3.47 ± 0.62 mg/kg/day. The mean duration of cyclosporine A therapy was 5.68 ± 3.29 months. The median time to total clearance of the lesions was 4.0 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that cyclosporine A therapy is equally effective and safe in pediatric psoriasis patients as in adults.
authors.affiliation: a Uludag University School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Bursa , Turkey.
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bulbul Baskan
authors.affiliation: a Uludag University School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Bursa , Turkey.
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yazici
authors.affiliation: a Uludag University School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Bursa , Turkey.
authors.forename: Sukran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tunali
authors.affiliation: a Uludag University School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Bursa , Turkey.
authors.forename: Hayriye
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saricaoglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine
keywords: Childhood; ciclosporine A; cyclosporine A; pediatric psoriasis; psoriasis