Efficacy, Convenience, and Safety of Calcipotriene-Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream in Skin of Color Patients With Plaque Psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis affects diverse racial and ethnic groups. In July 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration approved calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate (CAL/BDP) 0.005%/0.065% cream to treat plaque psoriasis in adults. The efficacy and safety of CAL/BDP in patients with skin of color (SOC) who have psoriasis is not well characterized. METHOD: A post hoc analysis of phase 3 clinical trial data (NCT03308799) was conducted to assess the efficacy, convenience, and safety of CAL/BDP cream versus CAL/BDP topical solution and vehicle cream in people with Fitzpatrick skin types IV to VI.   Results: This study included 784 participants, 280 (35.7%) of whom had Fitzpatrick skin types IV to VI. Patients treated with CAL/BDP cream had greater disease improvement, treatment convenience scores, and overall satisfaction than those treated with CAL/BDP topical solution in the subgroup with skin types IV to VI and the total study population.  Adverse event rates were similar between the subgroup with skin types IV to VI and the total study population for all treatment arms.  Conclusion: Psoriasis is associated with a greater physical and psychosocial impact in patients with SOC. While many effective topical therapies exist, it may be helpful to conduct separate analyses of patients with SOC to assess the efficacy and safety of treatment in this population. This sub-analysis of phase 3 clinical trial data supports the efficacy and safety of CAL/BDP cream in the treatment of plaque psoriasis in patients with SOC. CAL/BDP cream also had greater convenience, formula acceptability, and overall satisfaction in both the subgroup with SOC and the total trial population, which may improve adherence to topical therapy and treatment outcomes for people with SOC who have psoriasis. Kontzias CL, Curcio A, Gorodokin B, et al. Efficacy, convenience, and safety of calcipotriene-betamethasone dipropionate cream in skin of color patients with plaque psoriasis. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(7):668-672. doi:10.36849/JDD.7497.

Patient Preferences in Topical Psoriasis Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin condition that varies in severity. Most patients have limited disease amenable to topical treatment; however, poor treatment adherence limits efficacy. The purpose of this study was to assess patients’ psoriasis treatment experience, expectations, and preferences. METHOD: The National Psoriasis Foundation conducted a 17-question survey in March 2022 assessing psoriasis severity, bothersome signs and symptoms, current treatment modalities, frequency of topical therapy use, and vehicle preferences. Statistical analysis of the qualitative data was performed using descriptive analysis and calculations of relative frequencies. RESULTS: Most participants self-reported moderate psoriasis (83.9%). The most common bothersome symptoms were scaly appearance (78.8%), bleeding/oozing (60%), itch (55%), and flaking (37.4%). For treatment, 72.5% of participants disclosed using oral medication, while 8% used topical treatment alone. Most participants (76%) reported using topical therapy at least once weekly. Nearly 80% of participants said they would allow 2 weeks for a medication to become effective before considering discontinuation. Participants preferred water-based creams (75.7%), followed by oil-based foam (70.8%), gel (48.7%), solution (42.8%), lotion (21.2%), non-oil-based foam (17.5%), ointment (16.5%), and spray (6.3%). The formulation attributes rated most important were application feel (55.2%), non-staining (49.9%), quick absorption (46.7%), non-sticky texture (39.7%), ease of application (28.5%), no unpleasant smell (22.4%), non-greasy (16.8%), works quickly (14.1%), absent sting or burn (10%), no adverse skin reaction (9.7%), and once daily treatment (6.8%). If participants did not like a topical treatment's formulation, most (74.7%) said they would continue to use the medication for a week before discontinuation. CONCLUSION: Topical treatments continue to be a mainstay of psoriasis treatment. Patients expect to see rapid improvement with topical treatment; otherwise, they report that they will discontinue treatment. The characteristics of psoriasis treatment vehicles also affect patients’ reported willingness to use treatment and may be an important consideration in treatment planning. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(4): doi:10.36849/JDD.7372 Citation: Curcio A, Kontzias C, Gorodokin B, et al. Patient preferences in topical psoriasis treatment. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(4):326-329. doi:10.36849/JDD.7372.