Inflammation — Comparative Effectiveness of Psoriasis Treatments on Systemic Inflammation
Citation(s)
Alora-Palli MB, Brouda I, Green B, Kimball AB A cost-effectiveness comparison of liquor carbonis distillate solution and calcipotriol cream in the treatment of moderate chronic plaque psoriasis. Arch Dermatol. 2010 Aug;146(8):919-22. doi: 10.1001/archdermatol.2010.167.
Flytström I, Stenberg B, Svensson A, Bergbrant IM Methotrexate vs. ciclosporin in psoriasis: effectiveness, quality of life and safety. A randomized controlled trial. Br J Dermatol. 2008 Jan;158(1):116-21. Epub 2007 Nov 6.
Ho SG, Yeung CK, Chan HH Methotrexate versus traditional Chinese medicine in psoriasis: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to determine efficacy, safety and quality of life. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2010 Oct;35(7):717-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2230.2009.03693.x.
Reich K, Sinclair R, Roberts G, Griffiths CE, Tabberer M, Barker J Comparative effects of biological therapies on the severity of skin symptoms and health-related quality of life in patients with plaque-type psoriasis: a meta-analysis. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 May;24(5):1237-54. doi: 10.1185/030079908X291985 . Epub 2008 Mar 19. Review.
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
