An Open-label, Multicenter Study of the Efficacy and Safety of a Weekday/Weekend Treatment Regimen With Calcitriol Ointment 3 μg/g and Clobetasol Propionate Spray 0.05% in the Management of Plaque Psoriasis
Hudson CP, Kempers S, Menter A, Papp K, Smith S, Sofen H, Colón LE, Johnson LA, Gottschalk R
High-potency topical corticosteroids are the cornerstone of psoriasis therapy. Although highly effective, long-term use of topical steroids can cause adverse side effects. Additionally, steroids alone do not address the multiple pathophysiologic factors that cause the disease. Psoriasis regimens that utilize high-potency steroids combined with nonsteroid-containing products such as vitamin D analogs have been used for many years to manage the disease, not only for the short-term treatment of the disease but also for long-term treatment to minimize the recurrence of symptoms. We report an open-label, multicenter study designed to evaluate a weekday/ weekend treatment regimen involving calcitriol ointment 3 μg/g and clobetasol propionate spray 0.05% for moderate plaque psoriasis. Participants applied calcitriol ointment 3 μg/g twice daily on the weekdays and clobetasol propionate spray 0.05% twice daily on the weekends for up to 4 weeks. Participants were evaluated at baseline, week 2, and week 4. The results of this study demonstrate that a 4-week regimen of calcitriol ointment 3 μg/g treatment on weekdays and clobetasol propionate spray 0.05% on weekends is effective and well-tolerated for the treatment of moderate plaque psoriasis.