Tazarotene gel: efficacy and safety in plaque psoriasis

Tazarotene is the first of a new generation of acetylenic retinoids developed for the topical treatment of mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis. Controlled clinical trials have demonstrated that once-daily tazarotene 0.05% and 0.1% gels are effective in improving and reducing clinical signs and symptoms of psoriasis on trunk and limb lesions and difficult-to-treat elbow and knee plaques. Tazarotene has a rapid onset of action indicated by significant improvements as early as the first week of treatment. Sustained beneficial effects have been observed in some patients for up to 12 weeks after the cessation of therapy. Compared with twice-daily fluocinonide 0.05% cream, once-daily tazarotene 0.05%, and 0.1% gels were similarly effective in reducing plaque elevation. Once-daily tazarotene 0.05% and 0.1% gels demonstrated a more prolonged therapeutic effect after discontinuation than twice-daily fluocinonide cream. Tazarotene is generally well tolerated, with adverse events limited to local irritation. Tazarotene appears to be an effective addition to the currently available treatments for plaque psoriasis.