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Nancy Crutcher, MD; E. William Rosenberg, MD; Patricia W. Belew, PhD; Robert B. Skinner, Jr, MD; N. Fred Eaglstein, DO
Division of Dermatology College of Medicine University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences 956 Court Ave, Room 3C13 Memphis, TN 38163

Sidney M. Baker, MD
New Haven, Conn

Arch Dermatol. 1984;120(4):435-436.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

Our concept of the pathogenesis of psoriasis ascribes a major role to Malassezia ovalis (Pityrosporum ovale) residing in the hair roots of so-called seborrheic areas. In an attempt to reduce the numbers of those organisms, we have used oral ketoconazole therapy in patients with psoriasis and reported apparent benefit in a small group of patients.¹

Further use of oral ketoconazole therapy in patients with psoriasis has been followed up in some patients by clearing of psoriatic patches in nonseborrheic areas of the skin, in sites where few or no M ovalis reside. This suggested the possibility that ketoconazole was working systemically, perhaps on yeasts residing in the gut.

Meanwhile, Baker² reported improvement in the condition of patients with both psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease when treated with oral nystatin. Oral nystatin is poorly absorbed from the gut and its effect is considered to be almost . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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