Loading...
The retinoid acitretin normalizes keratinocyte differentiation and has anti-inflammatory effects. It has been used systemically to treat chronic plaque psoriasis for 30 years, often in combination with other drugs or phototherapy or alone. At the recommended dose, unbearable side effects often prompt patients to discontinue therapy. Investigators in Italy retrospectively reviewed the safety and efficacy of low-dose acitretin monotherapy.
They examined records of 46 adult patients whose mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score before acitretin was 20 (range, 10-41). The initial daily dose of 10 mg of acitretin was increased by 10mg/day every 2 weeks until the minimal effective dose (defined as 50 mg/day or less, producing maximum e…