Preference for Cal/BDP Cream or Foam in Patients With Mild to Moderate Plaque Psoriasis
August 2024 | Volume 23 | Issue 8 | 607 | Copyright © August 2024
Published online July 18, 2024
Leon H. Kircik MDa, Zoe Diana Draelos MDb, Brad Glick DOc, Lawrence Green MDd, Cheryl Burgess MDe
aMount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY; Physicians Skin Care, PLLC, Louisville, KY
bDermatology Consulting Services, PLLC, High Point, NC
cLarkin Health System, Miami, FL
dGeorge Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
eCenter for Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Washington, DC
Abstract
Background: The combined use of topical calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate (Cal/BDP) is commonly used and demonstrated to be effective for the management of psoriasis and is shown to confer local anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects. The use of the two agents in combination is synergistic. Despite the demonstrated efficacy of topically applied combination Cal/BDP, successful management of a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease such as psoriasis in the real-world setting may be hindered if patients do not adhere to the dosing or frequency of application recommendations from their prescriber. Patient preference for and satisfaction with the topical treatment vehicle have been shown to influence adherence. A recent analysis has determined that patients perceived Cal/BDP cream vehicle with PAD technology as having favorable characteristics. This randomized, split-body study was undertaken to further assess patient satisfaction with Cal/BDP cream and Cal/BDP foam formulations.
Trial Design: This was a split-body, subject-blind study. Study cream was administered in a single application to one side of the scalp and/or body; study foam was applied to the contralateral side. Patient self-administered questionnaires were completed before and after product application after a single site visit.
Results: Mean overall Vehicle Preference Measure (VPM) scores were higher for Cal/BDP cream than Cal/BDP foam (P=0.0043). Cal/BDP cream also achieved higher individual scores for ease of application, feeling to the touch, smell, and feeling on the skin (P<0.03). With regards to scalp application, subject assessments show that the cream was significantly more preferred in terms of limiting daily disruption (P=0.0008)
Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that patients may prefer Cal/BDP cream over Cal/BDP foam for the management of psoriasis on the body and the scalp. Cal/BDP cream outperformed Cal/BDP foam on several specific measures of satisfaction and overall satisfaction measures.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(8):607-611. doi:10.36849/JDD.7993
INTRODUCTION
The combined use of topical calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate (Cal/BDP) is commonly used and demonstrated to be effective for the management of psoriasis. Used in combination, topical calcipotriol, and betamethasone dipropionate confer local anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects. The combination has also been shown to produce a reduction of keratinocyte hyperproliferation and to help normalize keratinocyte differentiation.1 Of note, the use of the two agents in combination is synergistic; overall evidence suggests that the combination of the two agents is more effective than the use of either agent alone.1
Despite the demonstrated efficacy of topically applied combination Cal/BDP, successful management of a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease such as psoriasis in the real-world setting may be hindered if patients do not adhere to the dosing or frequency of application recommendations from their prescriber.2 Among the multiple factors that can either encourage or hinder adherence is patient preference for and satisfaction with the topical treatment vehicle.3
Through innovations in topical formulation science, calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate, two otherwise incompatible ingredients, have been effectively combined
