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The ARRECTOR trial, a double-blind, vehicle-controlled study, enrolled 432 participants aged 12 years and older. The participants presented with plaque psoriasis affecting up to 25% of the body, including a minimum of 10% scalp involvement. Conducted across 49 sites in the United States and Canada, the trial ran from August 2021 to June 2022.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either roflumilast foam or a placebo (vehicle) once daily for eight weeks. The trial’s co-primary endpoints were based on the Scalp Investigator Global Assessment (S-IGA) and Body IGA (B-IGA), which measured the percentage of patients who achieved either a “clear” or “almost clear” status along with a minimum two-grade improvement from baseline.

Key findings were as follows:

• By week 8, 66.4% of patients treated with roflumilast foam achieved Scalp Investigator Global Assessment (S-IGA) success, compared to 27.8% in the vehicle group.
• Body Investigator Global Assessment (B-IGA) success was achieved by 45.5% of the roflumilast group versus 20.1% in the placebo group.
• These results were statistically significant, indicating the strong efficacy of roflumilast foam.
• Itch relief was measured using the Scalp Itch Numeric Rating Scale (SI-NRS) and Worst Itch NRS (WI-NRS).
• There were significant improvements in itch as early as 24 hours after the first application of roflumilast foam.
• The improvements in itch persisted through weeks 2, 4, and 8, with the roflumilast group consistently showing better outcomes than the control group.
• Both groups experienced low rates of adverse events, and roflumilast was well tolerated.
• There were no new safety concerns, highlighting the favorable safety profile of roflumilast foam.
• The findings are significant, especially since existing topical treatments for scalp psoriasis often have limitations concerning tolerability, formulation, and long-term use.

The researchers note that roflumilast is a phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4) inhibitor, which targets inflammatory pathways central to psoriasis pathogenesis. Its foam formulation allows for easier application on hairy areas like the scalp, addressing one of the common barriers to patient adherence in topical treatment regimens.

“Overall, the findings support roflumilast foam, 0.3%, as a viable and convenient monotherapy for managing mild to moderate psoriasis involving both the scalp and body. With its promising efficacy, rapid symptom relief, and favorable safety profile, this treatment could represent a significant step forward in dermatologic care,” they concluded.

Reference:

Gooderham MJ, Alonso-Llamazares J, Bagel J, et al. Roflumilast Foam, 0.3%, for Psoriasis of the Scalp and Body: The ARRECTOR Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Dermatol. Published online May 07, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.1136

New Delhi: A fire broke out near the Trauma Centre of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Thursday afternoon following a blast in an electric transformer, a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official said.  

He added that no one was injured in the incident. 

“We received a call regarding a blast and a fire in an electric transformer at the AIIMS Trauma Centre at 3:34 pm. We rushed eight fire tenders to the spot. The fire was doused by 3:55 pm. No one was injured,” DFS chief Atul Garg said in a statement, according to news agency PTI.

Also Read:4 dead after smoke engulfs Kozhikode Medical College hospital, probe ordered

A fire officer told PTI that when their teams reached the spot, the staff of the AIIMS fire unit was already trying to bring the blaze under control.

“We immediately deployed the eight fire tenders and it took 30 to 40 minutes to douse the flames completely,” the officer said.

In a statement, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said, “We would like to inform that there was no fire at JPNATC, AIIMS Delhi. A fire incident occurred at an NDMC transformer located within the JPNATC complex, which was brought under control.”

“We are pleased to report that there were no injuries, no material loss and no disruption to the institute’s operations. All functions at the centre are operating normally,” the statement read.  

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that a fire broke out in the burns ward of the government-run Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, prompting the evacuation of 26 inpatients by the hospital staff. According to the preliminary investigation by the police, the fire broke out at around 3 a.m. in the burns ward due to a short circuit in the switchboard. A bed, register book, and other equipment were gutted in the incident. 

Also Read:Massive fire at Lucknow Hospital, 200 patients evacuated