A randomized double-blind comparison of PUVA-etretinate and PUVA-placebo in the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis

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Abstract
Twenty‐eight patients with chronic plaque psoriasis affecting 20–40% of their body surface were treated with either PUVA and placebo (thirteen patients) or PUVA and etretinate (0.75 mg/kg) (fifteen patients). PUVA was given three times a week for a maximum of 10 weeks after a 2‐week period on placebo or etretinate alone. Four patients failed to clear with PUVA and placebo compared with one patient with PUVA and etretinate, and the mean total UV‐A dose to clear was lower with etretinate (mean=62.1 J/cm2) than with placebo (mean=77.3 J/cm2) but none of these differences were significant. Because the additional response to etretinate was only marginal, whilst unwanted effects were common, we found no advantage in adding etretinate to PUVA.