Topical Treatments for Scalp Psoriasis

In 2008, the document reviewed the effectiveness of topical treatments for scalp psoriasis, noting that while topical corticosteroids and vitamin D analogues like calcipotriol and tacalcitol showed efficacy in controlled and open-label studies, there was a lack of long-term efficacy data and well-designed controlled trials. Calcipotriol was effective in a placebo-controlled study with 49 patients and in long-term treatment over 12 months with 202 patients, while tacalcitol's effectiveness was demonstrated in a double-blind study with 273 patients. The combination of calcipotriol with corticosteroids was found to be beneficial, and a novel gel formulation was more effective than betamethasone dipropionate alone. Other treatments such as keratolytics, coal tar, dithranol, and antimycotics were also discussed. The document stressed the need for long-term treatment options, the potential of combination therapy, the importance of formulation for patient compliance, and the challenges in comparing clinical trials due to varying measures of severity.