COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF CALCIPOTRIOL (MC903) SOLUTION AND PLACEBO (VEHICLE OF MC903) IN THE TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS OF THE SCALP

The efficacy and safety of calcipotriol solution in the treatment of s calp psoriasis was compared with placebo (vehicle solution), in a mult icentre double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study of 49 adult pat ients. Calcipotriol solution (50 mu g/ml), or placebo, was applied twi ce daily over a 4-week period. At the end of the study period 60% of p atients on calcipotriol showed clearance or marked improvement of thei r psoriasis compared with 17% on placebo. Overall assessment of treatm ent response showed that calcipotriol was superior to placebo in both investigator (P<0.001; 95% confidence interval for difference 19.0-67. 6) and patient (P<0.001; 95% confidence interval for difference 18.3-6 8.0) assessments. Total sign score for psoriasis (i.e. the sum of the scores for redness, thickness and scaliness) decreased by 48.9% in the calcipotriol group, and by 18.6% in the placebo group (P=0.005). Calc ipotriol was significantly superior to placebo in reducing redness, th ickness, scaliness and extent of psoriasis, and in the patients' asses sment in reducing scalp flaking and itching. No statistically signific ant changes in blood biochemistry were detected during the study, and the solution was generally well tolerated.