Efficacy and maintenance strategies of two-compound formulation calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate gel (Xamiol® gel) in the treatment of scalp psoriasis: results from a study in 885 patients.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed the efficacy of a formulation containing calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate for the treatment of psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate maintenance strategies of a formulation containing calcipotriol (50 µg/g) and betamethasone dipropionate (0.5 mg/g) for the treatment of scalp psoriasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine-hundred and four patients were screened and randomised on a 1:1 basis in two groups: maintenance of two applications per week (group A) versus on-demand therapy (group B). Clinical evaluation was performed at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8 and 12. RESULTS: Eight-hundred and eighty-five patients were randomised: 441 in group A and 444 in group B. From week 2, both groups showed a significant clinical improvement compared with baseline; at weeks 8 and 12, group A demonstrated a higher clinical response compared with group B (p < 0.05). This difference was statistically significant (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.37, 0.60). CONCLUSIONS: The maintenance of twice-weekly application versus on-demand treatment of calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate gel is more effective and is associated with a lower rate of relapse.

Renal cell carcinoma diagnosed by cutaneous metastasis: a case report.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies of the genitourinary tract and has the poorest prognosis of all urologic tumors. It often causes metastatic lesions, and although rare, the skin also can be involved. Cutaneous lesions rarely are the primary signs of RCC. We report a case of RCC with solitary nodular cutaneous metastasis on the right forearm that was seen before the primary tumor was diagnosed; there was no other organ involvement.

Treating psoriasis with etanercept in italian clinical practice: prescribing practices and duration of remission following discontinuation.

BACKGROUND: conventional antipsoriatic therapies are often administered until remission, with treatment resumed in the case of relapse, in order to reduce the likelihood of cumulative, dose-dependent toxicities. Biological agents have been safely used in continuous therapy. OBJECTIVE: to assess the use of etanercept for psoriasis in clinical practice in Italy. METHODS: this was an observational study carried out in 13 dermatological centres across Italy in patients with plaque psoriasis (with a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index [PASI] score >or=10) treated with etanercept. The study comprised a treatment and subsequent discontinuation period. Patients were eligible if they had plaque psoriasis and had begun treatment with etanercept between 1 September 2007 and 1 April 2008. Patients were evaluable for the duration of discontinuation analysis if they achieved a PASI reduction >or=50% (PASI50) and a PASI score <10 at the end of treatment. Etanercept treatment was restarted if the PASI score reached >or=10 or the patient had a clinical relapse. Data were collected retrospectively up to June 2008 and prospectively between July 2008 and January 2009. Patients received etanercept during the treatment period, followed by no etanercept treatment (other psoriasis treatment permitted) during the discontinuation period, and etanercept again during re-treatment. The main outcome measures were: PASI scores (type A responders: PASI reduction >or=75% [PASI75]; type B responders: PASI50 and PASI final score <10), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores and body surface area (BSA) involvement. Time from discontinuation to re-treatment was evaluated. Use of other antipsoriatic medications was recorded throughout. RESULTS: eighty-five patients were evaluable for the treatment period. Overall, 55 (64.7%) of these patients were prescribed etanercept 50 mg twice weekly. The mean treatment duration was approximately 25 weeks. In total, 79 patients (92.9%) were considered type B responders and 77 of these patients were evaluable for the duration of discontinuation analysis. Overall, 68/85 (80%) were type A responders. During the treatment period, 7/85 (8.2%) patients received other antipsoriatic therapies. Improvements in mean DLQI score (-71.5%) and mean BSA involvement (-79.2%) were also observed. Etanercept was well tolerated. During the discontinuation period, 40/77 (51.9%) patients used other antipsoriatic medications (group 1) and 37/77 (48.1%) did not (group 2). The mean duration of discontinuation was significantly longer in group 1 (174 days) than in group 2 (117 days, log-rank test: p = 0.0013). CONCLUSION: in clinical practice, the duration of discontinuation from etanercept was in accordance with previously reported data, and was longer in patients who received other antipsoriatic drugs during discontinuation of etanercept than in those who did not. High rates of PASI50 and PASI75 response were obtained with etanercept, and these rates were higher than those observed in controlled clinical studies. Etanercept treatment was flexible, effective and well tolerated, and was associated with improved quality of life.