[Anthralin therapy of psoriasis--a retrospective study of 39 cases]

Anthralin therapy was used in 39 cases with psoriasis, 31 cases with large plaque type and 8 cases with small plaque type. The therapy was performed in 2 ways with 0.05-2% anthralin ointment: short contact therapy and long contact therapy. Both therapies worked equally well on psoriasis. Improvement was observed in 26 cases (67%); 7 cases did not respond to the anthralin therapy. In 6 cases it was difficult to assess its effect. The large plaque type of psoriasis responded better than the small plaque type and showed a much longer remission period. Of the improved cases with large plaque type, 45% had remission periods longer than 6 months. Skin irritation (29 cases) and pigmentation (20 cases) were the side effects of anthralin therapy. However, those side effects were avoided by starting the therapy with a lower concentration of anthralin ointment and increasing the concentration gradually. Short contact therapy enabled us to apply the ointment in an outpatient clinic. It is suggested that anthralin therapy should be applied more frequently to psoriasis.