Studies on fatty acids in pus of psoriasis pustulosa palmo-plantaris

Thin-layer chromatography was used to find out if there were any quantitative differences in fatty acid content in pus from the palmar pustules in ten patients with psoriasis pustulosa palmo-plantaris (PPP) before and after long-term tetracycline therapy. No significant differences were found, indicating that it was not possible to correlate the good therapeutic effect of antibiotics reported in PPP with a decrease in the fatty acid content of pus from the pustles. However, the series was small and investigations are now in progress to establish whether small differences of significance can be demonstrated in a larger series. By combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry the fatty acids of pus in patients with psoriasis pustulosa palmo-plantaris were analysed. Stearic and palmitic acids were found to be predominant.