A comparative study of the therapeutic effect of dithranol cream 0.1% and 0.25% with that of dithranol stylus 0.1% and 0.2% in the treatment of psoriasis.

In Dithranol cream the oily phase is emulsified with an aqueous phase to make the preparation more convenient to apply. The cream also contains ascorbic acid as an antioxidant, which protects dithranol against atmospheric oxidation, thus increasing its stability. A stylus containing dithranol, ol. cacao, paraffin and vaselinum has been used as a comparative drug. The stylus is routinely used in this clinic. Sixty patients with stable psoriasis were pre-assigned into two treatment groups, receiving at random Dithranol cream 0.1%, 0.25% and Dithranol stylus 0.1%, 0.2%, respectively. Both groups started their treatment with the 0.1% preparation once a day for 2 weeks followed by the 0.2% or 0.25% preparations once a day for another 2 weeks. The following laboratory tests: Hb, WBC, Diff, S-ALAT, S-ASAT and S-creatinine were recorded before and after treatment. Staining of clothes was none to slight in 70% (21/30) of the patients using Dithranol stylus 0.2%, and 80% (24/30) in the patients using Dithranol cream 0.25%. The sensation of burning was none to slight in 83% (25/30) of the patients and skin discolouration was none to slight in approximately 80% (24/30) of the patients using the Dithranol stylus 0.2% and Dithranol cream 0.25% preparations. Both groups showed significant improvement in all effect-variables after 2 and 4 weeks' treatment compared to initial. The results are over all better after 4 weeks' treatment than after 2. No abnormal values due to dithranol treatment could be found in the laboratory tests.