title: Optimizing acitretin use in patients with plaque psoriasis.
abstract: Acitretin is one of the systemic agents used for the treatment of psoriasis. Because different acitretin dosages resulted therapeutically successful, there is no general agreement on the optimal dose regimen. To report acitretin efficacy and safety in a real-life setting, wherein patient-tailored dose regimen is usually prescribed, a retrospective analysis evaluating charts of all plaque-type psoriasis patients treated with acitretin from the clinic database was performed. PASI score improvement, as well as PASI 50, 75, 90, and 100 responses were assessed throughout the observational period. Overall, 52% PASI score reduction and a satisfactory safety profile were detected. PASI 50, 75, 90, and 100 response was achieved by 53%, 48%, 28%, and 14%, respectively. Treatment consisted on a mean daily acitretin dose of 25.01 mg. The initial dose was increased (51.2% of cases) or decreased (48.8%) prescribing a mean daily dose of 29.8 mg and 20.02 mg, respectively. This study proposed a dose regimen customized on clinical response and patient's needs, to optimized acitretin benefit.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, Pisa, 56126, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6739-0387
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiricozzi
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, Pisa, 56126, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panduri
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, Pisa, 56126, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dini
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, Pisa, 56126, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tonini
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, Pisa, 56126, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gualtieri
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, Pisa, 56126, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romanelli
mesh_terms: D017255:Acitretin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D054796:Drug Dosage Calculations; D006801:Humans; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D017255:Acitretin
keywords: acitretin; psoriasis; real life