Double-blind paired comparison clinical trial of halcinonide and hydrocortisone.

Fifty patients with a diagnosis of psoriasis, eczematous dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, or neurodermatitis and with bilateral symmetric lesions of equal severity participated in this study. A double-blind paired comparison technique was used in which halcinonide-neomycin-amphotericin ointment was applied to the lesions on one side of the body and hydrocortisone ointment to similar lesions on the other side according to a randomized schedule. The halcinonide-containing combination was statistically superior (p less than 0.05) to hydrocortisone ointment in the treatment of psoriasis patients. No statistically significant difference between the two drugs was obtained for the three other indications studied. No side effects with either ointment were observed. Halcinonide as formulated in this combination is an effective and safe corticosteroid.