Calcipotriol ointment in nail psoriasis: a controlled double-blind comparison with betamethasone dipropionate and salicylic acid

This double‐blind randomized study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of calcipotriol ointment (50 μg/g) with betamethasone dipropionate (64 mg/g) and salicylic acid (0.03 g/g) ointment in the treatment of nail bed psoriasis. Fifty‐eight patients applied the given drug to the affected nails twice a day for 3–5 months, depending on clinical response. Efficacy was assessed monthly on the basis of nail thickness, measured in millimetres. Photographs of the treated nails were taken at baseline, and after 3 and 5 months. Tolerability was assessed at 3 and 5 months. In patients with fingernail psoriasis, after 3 months of treatment subungual hyperkeratosis was reduced from 2.3 ± 0.1 mm (mean ± SEM) to 1.5 ± 0.1 mm (−26.5%) in the calcipotriol group and from 2.3 ± 0.1 mm to 1.6 ± 0.1 mm (−30.4%) in the betamethasone dipropionate and salicylic acid group [not significant (NS) between treatments, analysis of variance ( ANOVA)]. After 5 months, responders showed a 49.2% reduction in hyperkeratosis in the calcipotriol group (from 2.8 ± 0.1 mm to 1.4 ± 0.2 mm) and 51.7% (from 2.1 ± 0.1 mm to 1.0 ± 0.1 mm) in the betamethasone dipropionate and salicylic acid group (P