Topical Treatment of Psoriasis

Abstract

By means of the method of paired comparison, the value of the topical treatment of psoriasis by ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, especially in combination with crude coal tar ointment and anthralin paste, was studied.
1) Our studies had indicated that UV light irradiation was an important component in the Goeckerman treatment of psoriasis, especially the combination UV-B (Toshiba FL 20 S. E-30 305 nm) irradiation with crude coal tar was superior to UV-A (Toshiba FL 20 S. BLB 352 nm) irradiation with crude coal tar and tar alone.
2) In the combination of UV light irradiation with anthralin paste, UV light irradiation was found to be equally effective, with no significant differency in therapeutic effect between UV-A and UV-B irradiation. But clinically, the combination of UV light irradiation with anthralin paste had little more effect than anthralin paste alone.
3) Earlier improvement of the psoriatic lesions was seen in the topical corticosteroid treatment group than the anthralin treatment and Goeckerman treatment groups, the mean treatment duration was each 22 days, 30 days and 34 days. But early relapse was also seen in the topical corticosteroid treatment group, the Goeckerman treatment group had a longer duration of remission than the the topical corticosteroid treatment group, the mean remission period was 8.7 months and 4.1 months.
The Goeckerman treatment was superior to the topical corticosteroid treatment.