A Two-Compound Product Containing Calcipotriol and Betamethasone Dipropionate Provides Rapid, Effective Treatment of Psoriasis vulgaris regardless of Baseline Disease Severity

Vol. 210, No. 4, 2005

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Pharmacology and Treatment

A Two-Compound Product Containing Calcipotriol and Betamethasone Dipropionate Provides Rapid, Effective Treatment of Psoriasis vulgaris regardless of Baseline Disease Severity
P.C.M. van de Kerkhof^a, N. Wasel^b, K. Kragballe^d, F. Cambazard^e, S. Murray^c

^aUniversity Hospital Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
^bDivision of Dermatology and Cutaneous Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, and
^cDivision of Dermatology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada;
^dMarselisborg Hospital, Århus, Denmark;
^eService de Dermatologie, Hopital Nord, Saint-Etienne, France

Address of Corresponding Author

Dermatology 2005;210:294-299 (DOI: 10.1159/000084753)

Key Words

Psoriasis
Psoriasis Area and Severity Index
Calcipotriol
Betamethasone dipropionate

Abstract

Background: A two-compound product containing calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate (Daivobet^®/Dovobet^®) has been evaluated in a large clinical trial programme, providing a wealth of data on the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of the two-compound product in patients with mild, moderate and severe psoriasis vulgaris. Methods: Data from over 1,534 patients with psoriasis vulgaris who received the two-compound product once daily for at least 4 weeks in four randomised, double-blind studies were pooled. A meta-analysis of the pooled data is presented. Severity of psoriasis at baseline was determined by investigator assessment and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score. Results: For patients with severe disease defined by PASI score (PASI baseline 17), the mean reduction in PASI after up to 4 weeks of treatment was 71.6% compared with 68.9 and 67.2% for those with moderate (PASI baseline 5.1-16.0) and mild disease (PASI baseline 5). Corresponding reductions for investigator-assessed severity were 72.6, 69.1 and 68.7%, respectively. Conclusion: Although the meta-analysis of the data from these four studies was performed post hoc, we may conclude that the two-compound product provided highly effective treatment of psoriasis, regardless of the category of baseline disease severity.

Author Contacts

Prof. Dr. Peter van de Kerkhof
Head of Department, University Hospital Nijmegen
PO Box 9101
NL-6500 HB Nijmegen (The Netherlands)
Tel. +31 243 613 247, Fax +31 243 541 184, E-Mail p.vandekerkhof@derma.umcn.nl

Article Information

Received: September 17, 2004
Accepted: October 15, 2004
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 4, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 15

Medline Abstract (ID 15942215)

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