[Psoriasis: the clinical use of "minute therapy" with Cignolin]

The so called "minutes" therapy is a fundamental new method of psoriasis treatment with dithranol (anthralin). Dithranol is applied to the lesions for only 10 to 20 minutes and thereafter washed off thoroughly under a shower. We use an ointment of 0.5 to 3% dithranol with 2% salicylic acid in yellow soft paraffin which is applied with a plastic glove to the lesions. This regimen makes it now possible to offer dithranol routinely for home treatment. The patient should be well informed and must consult the dermatologist weekly. The course of treatment usually starts with 1% dithranol for 10 minutes. Depending on the healing effect and the degree of irritation, the concentration and the contact time is increased step by step. Up to now, 200 patients have been treated, 64 of them as in-patients and 136 carrying out the treatment at home. The clearance rate was 77.5% (84% for the in-patients and 74% for the outpatients). The average clearing time for out-patients was 5.5 days longer than for in-patients (31.5 to 26 days). The rate of non-responders in both groups was 10%. The application of corticosteroids or oral retinoids in addition to the "minutes" therapy showed no better therapeutic results. The "minutes" therapy has medical, social and financial advantages. Dithranol is very effective and has no permanent side-effects. Therefore, corticosteroids, retinoids and PUVA can be restricted. Treatment at home enables the patients to enjoy normal family and professional life. Finally, the "minutes" therapy saves large amounts of money in comparison to a hospital stay for several weeks.