The DESIRE study – psoriasis patients' satisfaction with topical treatment using a fixed combination of calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate in daily clinical practice

Claréus B W, Houwing R, Sindrup J H, Wigchert S

Eur J Dermatol 2009; 19(6): 581-585

Daivobet® (Dovobet®) is a fixed combination ointment of calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate. The real-life clinical use of calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate treatment was assessed in this multicentre, single-group, non-interventional study. Patients with psoriasis vulgaris who had a recent calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate prescription prior to the study start evaluated their satisfaction with the treatment after a 4-week course and after repeated courses for up to 6 months. Of the 1224 patients enrolled, 81.5% completed the 6-month study period. Approximately 75% of the patients were satisfied/very satisfied after one calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate treatment course and the satisfaction was high regardless of initial disease severity. Repeated calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate courses were prescribed for 22.9% of the patients and treatment satisfaction remained high (about 80%). The majority (60%) of the patients were willing to provide co-payments for calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate within their national health insurance system.