RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Scalp psoriasis severely affects patients' quality of life, and patients may occasionally be refractory to topical steroid application. Although systemic therapy combined with topical steroid application is recommended for treatment-resistant scalp psoriasis, previous research has not reported whether such combination treatment improves patients' quality of life.OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether combination therapy using oral cyclosporine and topical steroid reduces the severity of scalp psoriasis and improves patients' quality of life compared with the use of topical steroid alone.METHODS: The study included 23 patients with scalp psoriasis who were categorized as patients who received topical steroid therapy alone vs. those who received combination therapy with topical steroid and oral cyclosporine for 12 weeks. The severity of psoriasis and quality of life were evaluated at 4, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment.RESULTS: No significant improvement was observed in the severity of psoriasis or in patients' quality of life during the treatment period in patients receiving topical steroid alone. Patients treated with a combination of topical steroid and oral cyclosporine showed a reduction in the severity of psoriasis from the 4th week of treatment and their quality of life improved from the 12th week of treatment.CONCLUSION: Combination therapy with oral cyclosporine and topical steroid may reduce the severity of scalp psoriasis and improve patients' quality of life.