A randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, bilateral comparison trial of bexarotene gel 1% versus vehicle gel in combination with narrowband UVB phototherapy for moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris.

Author(s): Magliocco MA, Pandya K, Dombrovskiy V, Christiansen L, Wong Y, Gottlieb AB

Affiliation(s): Psoriasis Center of Excellence, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-0019, USA. maglioma@umdnj.edu

Publication date & source: 2006-01, J Am Acad Dermatol., 54(1):115-8. Epub 2005 Nov 28.

Publication type:

We report results of a randomized, vehicle-controlled, bilateral comparison pilot study of bexarotene gel 1% with narrowband UVB (NBUVB) phototherapy for moderate to severe psoriasis. In all, 9 patients applied drug or vehicle gel to comparable target lesions up to twice daily for 10 weeks. NBUVB was initiated 2 weeks after topical therapy began. Limitations include small sample size and interim analysis. Based on analysis of target lesion scores, bexarotene gel 1%/NBUVB was significantly more effective than placebo/NBUVB.