Source: J Psychopharmacol  |  Posted 7 years ago

By Maggie Schwartz

NEW YORK, NY -- August 3, 2004 -- Oral tazarotene appears to be effective in treating psoriatic lesions of the knees, elbows, nails and scalp, according to findings of a 1-year study presented here July 31st at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Summer Scientific Meeting.

The study findings were presented by Alan Menter, MD, chairman, division of dermatology, medical director, Baylor Psoriasis Center, and clinical director, National Psoriasis Gene Bank, Baylor University Medical Center, and clinical professor of dermatology, Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas.

Previously, 2 12-week studies showed the drug works in these lesions, with efficacy versus placebo demonstrated within 4 weeks. Scalp psoriasis took longer to improve, with efficacy seen at 8 weeks.

In the newly completed study, Dr. Menter and colleagues evaluated the efficacy of tazarotene in a cohort of adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis that affected at least 10% of their body surface area. All vitamin A supplements, retinoids, ultraviolet B phototherapy and topical therapies, psoralen plus ultraviolet A light (PUVA), methotrexate, or cyclosporine, and corticosteroids were withdrawn. Patients took oral tazarotene 4.5 mg once daily for 52 weeks.

Efficacy was evaluated by measuring plaque elevation, scaling, and erythema on the knees and elbows, as well as the severity of scalp, fingernail, and toenail psoriasis.

Of the 263 enrolled patients, 59% completed 1 year of therapy, and 41% discontinued due to lack of efficacy (8%), adverse events (14%), or other reasons (19%).

Scores for the mean severity of psoriasis dropped significantly with tazarotene administration. Within 2 weeks, plaque elevation decreased from -0.3 to -0.5 on a 5-point scale. Scaling dropped from -0.4 to -0.5 on a 5-point scale. Erythema dropped from 0 to -0.2 on a 5-point scale (P

The medication was well tolerated and not associated with a high number of adverse events that are typically associated with acitretin or other systemic antipsoriatic therapies, such as alopecia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hepatotoxicity, ocular dryness, desquamation, and pruritus.

The investigators concluded that oral tazarotene might become a valuable first-line therapy for patients with moderate to very severe plaque psoriasis.

[Presentation title: Efficacy of Oral Tazarotene on Difficult-to-Treat Psoriatic Lesions During 1 Year of Treatment. Abstract 84]