Short contact therapy in psoriasis Tar vs Anthralin

Abstract

Thirty cases (group I) having psoriasis were studied with a view to assess the efficacy of combination of short contact coal tar therapy, sunrays exposure and short contact anthralin therapy. Results were compared with thirty patients (group II) with psoriasis using anthralin paste as per Ingram technique as control.
The combined short contact therapy in group I patients with intensive 90 to 120 minutes treatment sessions done once in every alternate day resulted in complete clearing in 19 (63.3%) patients, 3 (10%) showed more than 50% clearing of lesions, 6 (20%) had 21-50% improvement of lesions, one (3.3%) had 5-20% improvement and disease got worse in one (3.3%) case. The average rate of clearance of lesions started to appear between 10-22 days with a mean of 16 days.
In group II out of 30 patients using anthralin paste every day, 16 (53.3%) showed complete clearing of lesions, 5 (16.6%) showed more than 50% clearing of lesions, 4 (13.3%) had 21-50% improvement of lesions, two (6.6%) patients had 5-20% improvement of lesions and the disease got worse in 3 (10%) cases. The average rate of clearance of lesions started to appear between 18-28 days with a mean of 23 days.
The combined short contact therapy schedule allows minimal time away from work, decreased hours per week in contact with coal tar and anthralin, decreased cost and a low risk of side effects.