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Background A ready-to-use betamethasone valerate 0.1% ( BMV) dressing was found to be superior to placebo dressing and a reference 0.1% BMV cream in the treatment of patients with chronic plaque psoriasis ( CPP). Methods This multicentre, prospective, randomized, investigator-blinded, controlled, non-inferiority trial compared the efficacy and safety of the BMV dressing to the calcipotriol-betamethasone dipropionate ( CBD) ointment during a 4-week treatment of patients with mild to moderate CPP. The primary efficacy endpoint was the 4-item psoriasis total severity score ( TSS-4) at week 4, and the associated non-inferiority margin was 1 point. Secondary outcome measures included the psoriasis global assessment ( PGA) score and patients' quality of life (QoL). Safety was assessed through adverse events ( AE) reporting in each treatment group. Results Of 325 screened patients, 324 were randomized to BMV ( N = 165) or CBD ( N = 159), and were considered evaluable for the safety and intention-to-treat ( ITT) efficacy analyses. Per protocol ( PP) populations included 133 and 131 patients in the BMV and CBD groups respectively. The mean adjusted TSS-4 significantly decreased through the study from baseline in both groups. The PP (primary) analysis of week 4 data revealed a −0.288 (95% CI: −0.610 to 0.034) not significant between-group difference in adjusted means, demonstrating non-inferiority of BMV to CBD. Non-inferiority was also demonstrated in the ITT analysis. The PGA and other secondary outcomes were significantly improved from baseline in both groups at week 4. The QoL score was slightly better in the CBD group at week 4, but no difference was observed at follow-up. No safety or tolerability concerns were observed in either group. Conclusions BMV dressing is non-inferior to CBD ointment in patients with mild to moderate CPP. Both treatments significantly improve patients' psoriasis and QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Muscle injuries and extensive exercise are associated with cyclo-oxygenase dependent formation of inflammatory prostaglandins. Since the effect of topical administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on local cyclo-oxygenase is unknown, the present exploratory, open label, non-randomized study set out to measure exercise induced release of prostaglandins before and after epicutaneous administration of diclofenac., Methods: Microdialysis was used to determine the local interstitial concentration of PGE2 and 8-iso-PGF2α as well as diclofenac concentrations in the vastus lateralis under rest, dynamic exercise and during recovery in 12 healthy subjects at baseline and after a treatment phase applying a total of seven plasters medicated with 180 mg of diclofenac epolamine over 4 days., Results: At baseline PGE2 concentrations were 1169 ± 780 pg ml(-1) at rest and 1287 ± 459 pg ml(-1) during dynamic exercise and increased to 2005 ± 1126 pg ml(-1) during recovery. After treatment average PGE2 concentrations were 997 ± 588 pg ml(-1) at rest and 1339 ± 892 pg ml(-1) during exercise. In contrast with the baseline phase no increase in PGE2 concentrations was recorded during the recovery period after treatment (PGE2 1134 ± 874 pg ml(-1)). 8-iso-PGF2α was neither affected by exercise nor by treatment with diclofenac. Local and systemic concentrations of diclofenac were highly variable but comparable with previous clinical pharmacokinetic studies., Conclusions: We can hypothesize an effect of topical diclofenac epolamine plaster on limiting the increase of local concentrations of the pro-inflammatory prostaglandin PGE2 induced in the muscle of healthy human subjects following standardized physical exercise. No effect of diclofenac treatment on 8-iso-PGF2α concentrations was observed, mainly since isoprostane is produced by a free radical-catalyzed lipid peroxidation mechanism independent of cyclo-oxygenases., (© 2013 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology © 2013 The British Pharmacological Society.)