Strategies to optimize efficacy, duration of remission, and safety in the treatment of plaque psoriasis by using tazarotene in combination with a corticosteroid.

In the treatment of plaque psoriasis with corticosteroids, long-term efficacy and safety are often compromised by tachyphylaxis, steroid rebound, and adverse effects. However, the results of recent studies demonstrate that the use of tazarotene in conjunction with a corticosteroid can help to optimize the efficacy, the duration of remission, and the safety of corticosteroid treatment. In one study, the adjunctive use of tazarotene with a mid-potency corticosteroid promoted greater efficacy, more rapid efficacy, and more prolonged remission after treatment than corticosteroid monotherapy. In another study, after the induction of remission with tazarotene plus a superpotent corticosteroid, maintenance therapy with tazarotene, with or without the superpotent corticosteroid, achieved more sustained remissions than vehicle. In a third study, tazarotene reduced the degree of epidermal atrophy induced by repeated applications of a superpotent corticosteroid on normal skin in healthy volunteers.