Topical Treatment for the Management of Mild-to-Moderate Psoriasis: A Critical Appraisal of the Current Literature

This study critically appraises the available literature on all topical treatments of psoriasis from the past 20 years to address some relevant issues, such as the vehicle associated with the highest effectiveness, the best vehicle for improving patient adherence, and the best strategy in terms of efficacy and safety for long-term treatment. The greater effectiveness of the foam formulation was demonstrated for calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate (Cal/BD) administration compared with the gel and ointment. Without a direct comparison, matching-adjusted indirect comparison analyses support the superiority of the foam versus the cream overall. In addition, the reduced treatment period required by the Cal/BD foam (4 weeks) may favor this formulation over cream (8 weeks). The literature evidence, supported by a broad clinical experience, reported high rates of acceptability and adherence for the foam vehicle. A growing consensus is shared among dermatologists sustaining the proactive approach as the best option for the long-term topical treatment of psoriasis in adults. The Cal/BD foam is the only treatment for which the approved label allows biweekly maintenance use (proactive management), thus representing the first option for long-term topical treatment.

Source: Dermatology and Therapy - September 22, 2023 Category: Dermatology Source Type: research