Short contact anthralin in the treatment of psoriasis: a study of different contact times.

Eighteen patients with chronic plaque psoriasis were investigated in two groups to determine the optimal contact time for the application of 2% anthralin, within the range immediate removal to removal at 20 min. It was found that clinical efficacy, assessed by times to plaque clearing, and side effects of treatment, i.e. erythema and staining, were independent of anthralin contact time. There seemed to be a relationship between erythema induction and skin type.