Efficacy of Atorvastatin as Adjunctive Treatment for Chronic Plaque Type Psoriasis

Overview

This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of atorvastatin 40 mg/day as an adjunct to betamethasone valerate 0.1% ointment applied twice daily in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate chronic plaque type psoriasis, as determined by mean reduction in PASI scores. Specific objectives included the determination and comparison of the absolute number and proportion of patients who achieved PASI-50 and the mean reductions in lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) measured from baseline and every month thereafter up to 6 months of treatment. This study also investigated the impact of atorvastatin treatment on the patients' quality of life as well as the association of clinical response to the lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects of atorvastatin.

Full Title of Study: “Atorvastatin as Adjunctive Therapy for Chronic Plaque Type Psoriasis Versus Betamethasone Valerate Alone:A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial”

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Allocation: Randomized
    • Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
    • Primary Purpose: Treatment
    • Masking: Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
  • Study Primary Completion Date: October 2013

Detailed Description

This was a single-center, parallel-group, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The study was conducted from February 2013 to October 2013 at a dermatology out-patient clinic in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines. Twenty-eight patients aged 19-65 years old assessed to have mild to moderate chronic plaque psoriasis, with psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) scores less than 10, were enrolled into the study and randomized into two equal treatment groups. Before participating in the study, patients were required to have a washout period of psoriasis pharmacotherapy for at least 2 months for phototherapy and systemic drugs, and 2 weeks for topical therapies. Exclusion criteria were as follows: patients with uncontrolled hypertension, endocrine or other metabolic diseases; patients with known allergy to any of the treatments; patients with active liver disease or liver enzymes (AST and ALT) thrice the upper limit; patients with any myopathy or presence of elevated creatine kinase (CK-MM) levels; patients taking any drug that might interact with statins and those already taking statins or patients with clear indications for statin treatment; patients with impaired renal function or creatinine > 2.0 mg/dL; patients with active infection or white blood cell (WBC) > 10 and pregnant or lactating females. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the ethics committee. Informed consent was obtained from all participants at study entry. Patients were randomly assigned into the two groups through a computer-generated randomization table with sequencing of assignments unknown to the primary investigator. The assigned interventions were placed in sequentially-numbered, opaque envelopes, which were opened by one of the secondary investigators only after the patient had agreed to participate in the study. Patients were assigned numerical codes that were indicated in their case record forms. Fourteen patients took atorvastatin 40 mg once a day while 14 patients took a similar-looking placebo tablet once a day. The study duration was 6 months. All patients were allowed to continue the use of betamethasone valerate 0.1% ointment twice a day for the duration of the study. Dispensing of the medications was done by a secondary investigator, while clinical assessment was done by the primary investigator who was blinded to the treatment assignments. Patients' PASI scores, lipid profiles, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hsCRP levels, and dermatology life and quality index (DLQI) scores were taken at baseline. Recording of the lipid profile, and AST, ALT values was done by another secondary investigator so that the primary investigator would not be biased by the decreasing values of the lipid profile or elevations in the AST or ALT. Photo-documentation was done throughout the study. Patients were also asked to bring their medications each visit so that the primary investigator could check for compliance. PASI scores, lipid profiles, AST, and ALT levels were monitored monthly, while DLQI scores and hsCRP levels were evaluated again after 6 months of therapy. Difference in the mean changes in PASI scores, lipid profile levels, DLQI scores, and hsCRP levels between groups were compared. Difference in the proportion of patients reaching 50% reduction in PASI scores (PASI-50) after 3 months and that after 6 months of therapy were compared. Correlation between the changes in PASI scores and the changes in lipid profile levels, as well as correlation between the changes in PASI scores and the changes in hsCRP levels were computed. The period of observation for adverse events started from the time the subject received the first dose of the study drug until his last follow-up. Adverse event monitoring was by active query and spontaneous reporting. Intention-to-treat analysis was the primary efficacy analysis. Patients included were those who had at least one assessment beyond baseline (Month 1). The last measurement of each randomized patient was moved forward to represent the end-of-treatment measurement at 6 months. Per-protocol analysis was the secondary efficacy analysis. All data analyses were performed using a statistical software (STATA 12.0).

Interventions

  • Drug: Atorvastatin
    • Atorvastatin is a hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor used to treat dyslipidemia
  • Drug: Placebo
    • Placebo tablets, made to look like the interventional drug

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

  • Experimental: Atorvastatin
    • Atorvastatin 40 mg once a day at night Patients asked to apply Betamethasone valerate 0.1% ointment twice a day, 3 weeks on, 1 week off, at the most
  • Placebo Comparator: Placebo
    • Placebo tablets But patients are still asked to apply Betamethasone valerate 0.1% ointment twice a day, 3 weeks on, 1 week off, at the most

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • Mean Gross Change in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) Scores From Baseline to the End of 6 Months
    • Time Frame: 6 months
    • Psoriasis Area and Severity Index involves grading psoriatic plaques based on erythema (E), infiltration (I), desquamation (D). Severity is graded from 0-4 for each criteria (0 – none, 1 – slight, 2 – moderate, 3 – severe, and 4 – very severe). The body is divided into 4 regions, head, upper extremities, trunk, and lower extremities, and for each region, the surface area involvement is graded on a 0-6 scale (0 – 0% involvement, 1 – <10%, 2 – 10-<30%, 3 – 30-<50%, 4 – 50-<70%, 5 – 70-<90%, 6 – 90-100%).The highest potential PASI score is 72, with higher PASI scores indicating worse psoriasis.
  • Percentage of Patients Achieving PASI-50 in Each Arm at the End of 6 Months
    • Time Frame: 6 months
    • Percentage of patients in each arm who will achieve 50% reduction in PASI scores at the end of 6 months will be compared

Secondary Measures

  • Monthly Mean Changes in PASI Scores
    • Time Frame: Monthly from baseline to 6 months
    • PASI scores were measured monthly and mean changes from baseline for each month for the whole 6-month duration of the study recorded.
  • Percentage of Patients Achieving PASI-50 at the End of 3 Months
    • Time Frame: 3 months
    • PASI-50 means at least a 50% reduction from baseline PASI score
  • Mean Change in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Scores After 6 Months
    • Time Frame: 6 months
  • Mean Change in Lipid Profile Levels
    • Time Frame: 6 months
  • Mean Change in hsCRP Levels
    • Time Frame: 6 months
  • Adverse Events
    • Time Frame: 6 months

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

  • Patients diagnosed with mild to moderate psoriasis vulgaris, chronic plaque type, with PASI score not more than 10 – Adult patients ≥ 19 years old and ≤ 65 years old – Male or female – Able to give consent – Able to follow-up monthly for 6 months Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with PASI score ≥ 10 – Systemic therapy for psoriasis within the last two months – Phototherapy within the last four weeks – Known allergy to any of the treatments – Active liver disease or liver enzymes (AST and ALT) more than 3 times the upper limit of normal – Any myopathy or presence of elevated creatine kinase (CK-MM) levels – Intake of any drug that might affect or interact with the study drug (e.g. fibrates, niacin, macrolide antibiotics) – Patients already taking statins or patients with clear indications for statin treatment (i.e. coronary heart disease or disease equivalents according to the Adult Treatment Panel III Guidelines) – Impaired renal function or creatinine > 2.0 mg/dL – Active infection or WBC > 10 – Pregnant or lactating – Uncontrolled hypertension, endocrine or other metabolic diseases

Gender Eligibility: All

Minimum Age: 19 Years

Maximum Age: 65 Years

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: No

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • Philippine Dermatological Society
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Principal Investigator: Sharlene Chua, Dr. – Philippine Dermatological Society
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Sharlene H Chua, Medicine, Principal Investigator, University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Section of Dermatology
    • Ma. Lorna F Frez, Medicine, Study Director, University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Section of Dermatology

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