Systemic chemotherapy for psoriasis: a national survey

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Abstract
A questionnaire that was mailed to 510 randomly selected dermatologists in the USA surveyed their use of 3 systemic chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of psoriasis during the 2-yr period of 1973-1974. Methotrexate was used by 52% of the surveyed dermatologists, while hydroxyurea and azaribine were used by 10 and 2%, respectively. Seventy-five percent of the dermatologists who used methotrexate treated 10 or fewer psoriatic patients with this drug. Multiple dose therapy with methotrexate divided over a period of 36 h each week was the preferred schedule of 66% of the dermatologists. Liver biopsy specimens and creatinine clearance tests were obtained for only 17 and 35% of patients, respectively, prior to initiating methotrexate therapy. The estimated number of dermatologist-treated psoriatics nationwide receiving methotrexate is 25,000.

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