halometasone and Psoriasis

C 48.401-Ba cream, containing 0.05% halomethasone was compared in a double-blind between-patients trial with a cream containing 0.1% betamethasone valerate in forty-eight patients suffering from atopic dermatitis and in thirty-nine patients suffering from seborrhoeic dermatitis. A similar comparison was made with ointments containing the same concentration of active ingredient in forty-six patients suffering from atopic dermatitis. Both ointments were also compared in a within-patient double-blind trial in thirty patients suffering from psoriasis. The analysis of the results showed that for the treatment of the above-mentioned dermatoses, both drugs, the cream as well as the ointment, are equally effective and well tolerated.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Betamethasone; Betamethasone Valerate; Clinical Trials as Topic; Dermatitis, Atopic; Dermatitis, Seborrheic; Double-Blind Method; Humans; Psoriasis

A multicentre, between-patient, comparative trial was carried out by nine dermatologists in the Federal Republic of Germany to compare the efficacy and tolerability of 0.05 halometasone ointment with those of an ointment, containing 0.25% fluocortolone + 0.25% fluocortolone caproate, in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. The evaluable trial population consisted of 182 patients, 115 males and sixty-seven females. Halometasone ointment yielded a higher success rate ('good' to 'very good' results), namely 56.4% than that obtained with the comparative ointment (45.4%). Halometasone ointment also produced a higher cure rate, namely 26.6%, than that reported with the comparative preparation (19.3%). An improvement of one score over the pre-treatment clinical status of the psoriatic lesions reported at the Day 10 visit was significantly higher (p = 0.04), namely 48.9%, with halometasone ointment than that with the comparative preparation (35.2%). The percentages of patients obtaining an early cure, i.e. in less than 30 days, and onset of action were practically identical in both treatment groups. No adverse effects were reported in any of the ninety-four patients treated with halometasone ointment, while unwanted reactions were observed in three of the eighty-eight patients treated with the comparative preparation.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Betamethasone; Clinical Trials as Topic; Female; Fluocortolone; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Psoriasis

In an open non-comparative trial forty-three hospitalized patients with chronic psoriasis vulgaris were treated with 0.05% halometasone cream (without dressing) by day and 0.05% halometasone ointment (with occlusive dressing) at night. This combined regimen yielded good to very good results in 93.1% of the patients treated. The trial treatment was fairly well tolerated, did not have any systemic adverse effects and had to be discontinued in only one patient, due to severe pustular eruption at the site of application.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Betamethasone; Chronic Disease; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Psoriasis

This clinical evaluation to determine the long-term therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of 0.05% halometasone ointment was carried out in fifty patients (forty-one with psoriasis and nine with chronic eczema) by seven dermatologists in Austria and Switzerland. The ages ranged from 19 to 76 years and the total duration of illness was more than 5 years in 62% of the trial population. The duration of treatment varied from 38 to 103 days (38-60 days in twenty-two patients, 61-90 days in twenty-five patients and 91-103 days in three patients). All patients received two non-occlusive applications of halometasone ointment per day. In this long-term study halometasone ointment exhibited very satisfactory therapeutic efficacy and very good tolerability. 'Good' to 'very good' results were reported in 73% and 89% of the patients with psoriasis and chronic eczema treated with halometasone ointment, respectively. Adverse effects were reported in only two (4%) patients who had transient itching at the site of application. Neither skin atrophy nor any systemic effect due to the transcutaneous systemic absorption of the corticoid was observed in this study, nor were any instances of contact skin allergy reported.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Adult; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Betamethasone; Chronic Disease; Clinical Trials as Topic; Eczema; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Psoriasis

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes angiogenesis and plays important roles both in physiological and pathological conditions. VEGF receptors (VEGFRs) are high-affinity receptors for VEGF and are originally considered specific to endothelial cells. We previously reported that VEGFRs were also constitutively expressed in normal human keratinocytes and overexpressed in psoriatic epidermis. In addition, UVB can activate VEGFRs in normal keratinocytes, and the activated VEGFR-2 signaling is involved in the pro-survival mechanism. Here, we show that VEGFRs were also upregulated and activated by UVA in normal human keratinocytes via PKC, and interestingly, both the activated VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 protected against UVA-induced cell death. As VEGFRs were over-expressed in psoriatic epidermis, we further investigated whether narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) phototherapy or topical halomethasone monohydrate 0.05% cream could affect their expression. Surprisingly, the over-expressed VEGFRs in psoriatic epidermis were significantly attenuated by both treatments. During NB-UVB therapy, VEGFRs declined first in the basal, and then gradually in the upper psoriatic epidermis. VEGFRs were activated in psoriatic epidermis, their activation was enhanced by NB-UVB, but turned undetectable after whole therapy. This process was quite different from that by halomethasone, in which VEGFRs and phospho-VEGFRs decreased in a gradual, homogeneous manner. Our findings further suggest that UV-induced activation of VEGFRs serves as a pro-survival signal for keratinocytes. In addition, VEGFRs may be involved in the pathological process of psoriasis, and UV phototherapy is effective for psoriasis by directly modulating the expression of VEGFRs.

Topics: Adult; Betamethasone; Cell Survival; Enzyme Activation; Epidermis; Female; Gene Expression; Humans; Keratinocytes; Male; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; Neuropilin-1; Phosphorylation; Protein Kinase C; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Psoriasis; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; src-Family Kinases; Ultraviolet Rays; Ultraviolet Therapy; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; Young Adult

Topics: Administration, Topical; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Betamethasone; Chronic Disease; Dosage Forms; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Psoriasis

Plasma cortisol levels were determined by a radioimmunological assay in three groups of ten psoriasis patients treated with 0.05% halometasone ointment, 0.05% halometasone cream and 0.025% fluocinolone acetonide ointment, without occlusive dressings, for 7 days. Fourteen grams of the corticoid topical was applied daily (7 g/b.i.d.) to the psoriasis plaques covering an average of 25% of the body surface. No significant differences with respect to plasma cortisol values at 8 a.m. before, during and after treatment were evident in any of the three treatment groups, nor did the treatment groups significantly differ from one another with regard to their effect on the plasma cortisol levels. No side-effects were observed.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Betamethasone; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Psoriasis