Topical Treatments For Chronic Plaque Psoriasis

Main Category: Eczema / Psoriasis
Also Included In: Dermatology
Article Date: 16 Apr 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Chronic plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis and is characterised by redness, thickness and scaling. First line management of chronic plaque psoriasis is with topical treatments, including vitamin D analogues, topical corticosteroids, tar-based preparations, dithranol, salicylic acid and topical retinoids.

Extract from Implications for Practice

Evidence from large numbers of trials indicates that most of the topical treatments tested in the trials reviewed here alleviate the symptoms of psoriasis. However, it was not possible to assess the performance of treatments at different levels of severity of psoriasis. The evidence suggests that vitamin D products are more effective than emollient alone. Potent and very potent corticosteroids are also effective and very potent corticosteroids are more effective than either potent corticosteroids or vitamin D products. The effectiveness of dithranol and tazarotene appears to be similar to that of vitamin D products.

(CD005028) by Mason Anne et al

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Source
The Cochrane Library