Low-dose acitretin in treatment of plaque-type psoriasis: descriptive study of efficacy and safety.

Abstract

The efficacy and safety of acitretin was evaluated retrospectively in a cohort of 46 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) range 10-42). Patients were treated at an initial dose of 10 mg/day acitretin, which was then gradually increased until the best therapeutic effect with the fewest adverse effects was reached (< 50 mg/day) and later decreased and maintained at the lowest effective dosage. Efficacy measures were: (i) PASI75 (75% improvement) and PASI50 between 10 and 16 weeks; and (ii) PASI75 even after 16 weeks of treatment. At weeks 10-16, PASI75 and PASI50 were achieved by 47.8% and 87% of the patients, respectively. Overall, 67.3% reached PASI75. Adverse events occurred in 18 patients (39.1%); among these, 4 (8.7%) discontinued acitretin. Our findings suggest that acitretin at an initial low, gradually escalating dose, and subsequently maintained at the minimal effective dose, is a suitable treatment option for plaque psoriasis as it provides clear-cut improvement in most treated patients while minimizing the risks of side-effects.

• Authors: Alessandro Borghi, Monica Corazza, Alberto Maria Bertoldi, Francesca Caroppo, Annarosa Virgili
• Journal: Acta dermato-venereologica (Acta Derm Venereol) Vol. 95 Issue 3 Pg. 332-6 (Mar 2015) ISSN: 1651-2057 [Electronic] Sweden
• PMID: 24978351 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Keratolytic Agents
• Acitretin

Topics

• Acitretin (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Female
• Humans
• Keratolytic Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Psoriasis (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Remission Induction
• Retrospective Studies
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome