An observation study evaluating the efficacy of tazarotene plus corticosteroid in treating plaque psoriasis in patients switched from treatment with calcipotriene +/- corticosteroid.

The results of a multicenter, open-label observation study evaluating the use of tazarotene in 1393 patients being treated for plaque psoriasis have been reported recently. The analysis of data from a subset of 166 patients who were switched from calcipotriene therapy, with or without a topical corticosteroid, to receive tazarotene plus a corticosteroid is reported here. This subset of 166 patients showed substantial additional improvements in efficacy and patient satisfaction over and above those already achieved with calcipotriene +/- corticosteroid treatment. The mean scores for overall severity of plaque psoriasis, plaque elevation, scaling, pruritus, and overall discomfort were reduced by 35%, 41%, 44%, 45%, and 40%, respectively, compared with baseline levels at the time of switching therapy. The severity of each of these parameters was reduced from mild-to-moderate at baseline to trace-to-mild after a mean of 10 weeks' treatment with tazarotene plus a corticosteroid.