BMJ 2000;321:452 ( 12 August )

Letters

Combination treatment seems rarely to be used in psoriasis

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---Ashcroft et al report a systematic review of the comparative efficacy and tolerability of calcipotriol, a synthetic vitamin D3 analogue, in chronic plaque psoriasis.1 We have recently completed a general practice based audit of the treatments offered to patients with mild to moderate chronic plaque psoriasis.

We found that only three of 14 patients who had been prescribed a corticosteroid were using a vitamin D3 analogue as part of combination treatment. The remainder had not received a vitamin D3 analogue at any time. Despite the risks of using topical steroids, corticosteroids still remain the preferred treatment for psoriasis, and on average 55% of patients receive potent topical steroids.2 Combination treatment with vitamin D3 analogues and corticosteroids has been recommended for mild to moderate plaque psoriasis in numerous trials.3-5

Although our study is limited by its small sample size, and we cannot conclude that these results reflect general trends, we . . . [Full text of this article]
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Relevant Article

Systematic review of comparative efficacy and tolerability of calcipotriol in treating chronic plaque psoriasis
Darren M Ashcroft, Alain Li Wan Po, Hywel C Williams, and Christopher E M Griffiths
BMJ 2000 320: 963-967. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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