Psoriasis Treatment

Question 1

5 options of therapy for psoriasis?

Answer 1

Tar
Dithranol
Potent steroids (betnovate)
UV therapy
Systemic therapies

Question 2

Examples of systemic therapies for psoriasis?

Answer 2

Methotrexate
Prenisolone
Cyclosporin
Infliximab

Question 3

Main issue with cream therapy for psoriasis?

Answer 3

Tar, dithranol, and steroid creams all have individual problems as therapies. The laborious nature of the required application means compliance is often a problem

Question 4

Treatment selection process for psoriasis?

Answer 4

1) Creams (tar, dithranol, potent steroids)
2) UV therapy
3) Systemic therapies

Question 5

Problems with tar?

Answer 5

Stickiness
Messiness
Smell

Question 6

Problems with dithranol?

Answer 6

Can burn skin (particularly around eyes)

Can permanently stain clothes

Question 7

Problem with steroids?

Answer 7

May induce a rebound phenomenon where lesions become worse than they previously were on stopping the topical steroids

Question 8

Problems with UV therapy?

Answer 8

Plaques can return
Can cause sunburn
Shouldn’t be given too many times as risks skin cancer

Question 9

Why UV therapy before systemic therapy?

Answer 9

Side effects and need for monitoring are much less than in systemic therapies