Vol 6, No 4 (2020)
Special articles
Published online: 2020-12-21
An effective duo in the topical therapy of psoriasis — a combination of calcipotriol with betamethasone dipropionate in a traditional ointment form
DOI: 10.5603/FD.2020.0023
Forum Dermatologicum 2020;6(4):97-101.
Abstract
Exclusive local therapy is a sufficient treatment option for most mild cases of psoriasis. It is estimated that even 70–80% of patients do not require systemic treatment or light therapy, and topical medications effectively control the symptoms of the disease. Moreover, topical medications are also an essential treatment option in addition to systemic therapy for moderate to severe psoriasis. The most common medications used in local therapy are glucocorticosteroids and vitamin D analogues. These substances show the highest efficiency among all drugs available on the market, while maintaining a favorable toxicity profile. A significant advantage of these medications is also the ease of use, which significantly affects the compliance with medical recommendations and regular use of the preparation by patients. The different mechanism of action of the two drugs makes this unique combination of calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate particularly effective at any stage of the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Due to their strong antiproliferative, immunomodulating and immunostatic effects, this duo is currently recommended by the Polish Dermatological Society as a first-line preparation in the local treatment of smooth skin, hands and feet. The ointment ensures rapid penetration of active substances, strongly moisturizing, reducing skin atrophy, which is an additional benefit for patients with psoriasis. The study analyzes the effectiveness, safety and mechanism of action of medications containing calcipotriol with betamethasone dipropionate in the local therapy of psoriasis in the light of current literature data, with particular emphasis on the form of ointment.
Keywords: psoriasistopical therapyglucocorticosteroidsvitamin D analogues
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