Superpotent topical steroid treatment of psoriasis vulgaris--clinical efficacy and adrenal function.

Multiple clinical and laboratory evaluations, including morning plasma cortisol levels, were done in forty patients having moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris prior to and during treatment with either betamethasone dipropionate in optimized vehicle or clobetasol-17-propionate ointment. The study was randomized, double-blind, and of parallel group design, lasting 3 weeks. Both drugs were effective (3 of 4 achieving at least 75% or more improvement). Temporary reversible suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as reflected by low morning plasma cortisol determinations, was found in eight of forty patients (20%). The clinician should respect the potential for superpotent topical steroids to cause laboratory evidence of adrenal suppression.