Efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of all-trans retinoic acid/Clobetasol Propionate Compound Ointment in the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis vulgaris: A randomized, single-blind, multicenter clinical trial.

To assess the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of all-trans retinoic acid/Clobetasol Propionate Compound Ointment and calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate ointment in the treatment of mild-to-moderate patients with psoriasis vulgaris. This was a randomized, single-blind, multicenter clinical trial. A total of 240 patients were randomized to receive twice-daily all-trans retinoic acid/Clobetasol Propionate Compound Ointment (treatment group) or once-daily calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate ointment (control group) for 4 weeks. The efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness were assessed at Weeks 2 and 4. After 4 weeks, both groups showed a significant clinical improvement compared to baseline (88.33% vs. 89.83%, respectively, p = .7112). But PASI 75 response in the treatment group was superior to the control group (44.12% vs. 28.57%, respectively, p = .0200), at Week 4. SSRI improvement rate in the treatment group was also superior to control group (67.11% vs. 59.43%, respectively, p = .0119) at Week 4. All-trans retinoic acid/Clobetasol Propionate Compound Ointment showed a significant clinical improvement in erythema, infiltration, and scales of skin lesions and PASI score compared to baseline. 1.67% of patients (treatment group) reported adverse reactions compared to 2.50% (control group) with no statistical significance. In addition, the cost-effectiveness assessment showed a higher cost-effectiveness of the treatment group compared to the control group in 4 weeks (199.25 vs. 801.51). All-trans retinoic acid/Clobetasol Propionate Compound Ointment was effective and safe in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris with similar efficacy as calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate ointment and lower treatment costs.

Hidden victims of childhood vitiligo: impact on parents' mental health and quality of life.

This study aims to assess the impact of childhood vitiligo on the psychological status and quality of life of their parents, and to determine how this varies according to their children's disease condition. The study included 50 families of children with vitiligo (a total of 75 participants) and 50 families of normal children (a total of 79 participants). The psychosocial impact of the disease on parents was measured using the Self-rated Health Measurement Scale (SRHMS) and the Dermatitis Family Impact Questionnaire (DFI). SRHMS scores for parents of children with vitiligo were significantly lower than for parents with normal children. In addition, women had lower scores than men in the study group. The mean DFI score in affected families was higher than in unaffected families. Parents of children with vitiligo have significant psychological problems, and their quality of life is poorer than for parents of normal children. In conclusion, parents of children with vitiligo need as much care and attention as their affected children.

A split-face study of intense pulsed light on photoaging skin in Chinese population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intense pulsed light (IPL) is regarded as the gold standard of nonablative photo-rejuvenation. Yet there is still a need to observe its efficacy and safety on dark skin using a split-face module. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four Chinese women with photoaging were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomized to receive four IPL treatments at 3- to 4-week intervals on one side of face, with the other side spared as control. Changes of photoaging were evaluated using a global evaluation, an overall self-assessment, a Mexameter and a Corneometer. Skin biopsies were taken after four sessions of treatment on one side of face. The melanocyte density and the contents of melanin, collagen fibers, and elastic fibers were stained and used to evaluate the improvement on dyschromia and other signs of photoaging. RESULTS: The global scores of photoaging on treated side decreased significantly from 3.02 to 1.22, while it remained unchanged on the untreated side. Twenty-one of 24 patients (87.5%) rated their improvement as excellent or good. The difference on the values of melanin index and erythema index on treated side were significantly larger than those on untreated side after the 1st session, the 4th session and at 3-month follow-up (P<0.05). The melanin contents were significantly decreased and the collagen fibers were obviously increased only on treated side (P<0.05). Adverse effects of treated side were limited to mild pain and transient erythema. CONCLUSION: Using this split-face module, IPL treatment is proved both clinically and histologically to be effective in treating photoaging skin in Chinese population. Adverse effects were minimal and acceptable.