Comparison Study of Psoriasis Severity Assessment Tools

This study evaluates the performance of objective psoriasis severity assessment tool compared with a subjective assessment tool for the assessment of the improvement of psoriasis after oral cyclosporine A or methotrexate treatment.

Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were randomly assigned to treatment for 16 weeks with either cyclosporine A (20 patients; male 200 mg/day, female 150 mg/day) or methotrexate (20 patients; initial dose with 10 mg/week, increased up to 15 mg/week). The primary outcome was to compare the difference between the conventional subjective Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and the objective PASI by using Colorimeter at 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks of treatment. The secondary outcome was differences between cyclosporine and methotrexate for treatment of psoriasis, evaluating clinical efficacy and side effects.