Topical therapies for the treatment of plaque psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting approximately 2% of the US population. Plaque psoriasis, characterized by erythematous lesions covered with silvery scales, is the most common form. In the absence of a cure, long-term control is important for the management of this disease. Topical corticosteroids are the primary treatment strategy for most mild to moderate cases of psoriasis. For more severe cases, topical corticosteroids often are combined with other antipsoriatic agents to prolong the remission period between disease outbreaks, manage isolated flares during therapy, and ease the transition between therapies. With the availability of multiple formulations of topical antipsoriatic agents, including multiple formulations of topical corticosteroids with different potencies, physicians have a large number of treatment strategies for their patients with psoriasis.