Treatment of plaque‐type psoriasis with the 308 nm excimer laser in combination with dithranol or calcipotriol

Figures & data

Figure 1 Treated areas: ointment was applied to the whole lesion, whereas the excimer laser was placed only in the distal half of the lesions.

Figure 2 Study patients from screening to analysis.

Figure 3 Treatment response over time. Left elbow: local treatment with calcipotriol, distant parts in combination with excimer laser. Visible benefits from the combined therapy regimen could be recorded from the first laser sessions on, rated as partial clearance from visit 5–17. Due to increasing erythema in visit 18 the total score was above 2. Right elbow: local treatment with dithranol, distant parts in combination with excimer laser. Also quick response to the combination therapy, rated as partial clearance from visit 5–16 and as total clearance at the follow‐up visits. The overall scores of local treatment alone were between 8–5.

Table I.  Treatment response.

Treatment	Response		Visit 16 (week 8, 2nd Tx)	Visit 17 (follow‐up after 4 months)	Visit 18 (follow‐up after 6 months)
Calcipotriol, no laser	Partial clearance	abs.	1	2	3
		rel.	1.7%	3.4%	5.1%
	Total clearance	abs.	0	2	5
		rel.	0%	3.4%	8.5%
Calcipotriol and laser	Partial clearance	abs.	23	12	8
		rel.	38.9%	20.3%	13.6%
	Total clearance	abs.	4	11	13
		rel.	6.8%	18.6%	22.0%
Dithranol, no laser	Partial clearance	abs.	1	1	3
		rel.	1.7%	1.7%	5.1%
	Total clearance	abs.	0	1	2
		rel.	0%	1.7%	3.4%
Dithranol and laser	Partial clearance	abs.	23	11	5
		rel.	38.9%	18.6%	8.5%
	Total clearance	abs.	6	4	18
		rel.	10.2%	23.7%	30.5%

Table II.  Reduction of modified PASI.

Study arm/visit	Calcipotriol, no laser	Calcipotriol and laser	Dithranol, no laser	Dithranol and laser
Week 8, 2nd Tx	22.5%	60.6%	20.9%	62.2%
Follow‐up after 4 months	25.8%	54.3%	25.3%	54.2%
Visit 18 Follow‐up after 6 months	26.8%	49.7%	22.9%	49.8%