الفهرس 
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Abstract
Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease. It has both environmental and genetic parts to its etiology. Psoriasis is characterized by red scaling elevated plaques commonly on elbows, knees and trunk.
Histological examination of psoriatic lesions shows inflammation and disturbed epidermal differentiation. HBD-2 is induced as a part of the inflammatory response in skin which in psoriasis, is part of the regenerative maturation process involving hyperproliferation and induction of marker genes such as elafin and the cytokeratins 6, 16 and 17.
In addition to their antimicrobial activity it has been shown that HBD-2 and other skin beta-defensins have cytokine-like properties .The central role of these proteins in the innate immune system of the skin suggested that beta-defensin genes could be candidate genes for psoriasis susceptibility.
The study included 30 psoriatic patients complaining from localized plaque psoriasis have not taken any local or systemic treatment for psoriasis in the previous month before the study.The disease activity in terms of PASI score was estimated before the study and 5 mm skin biopsy was taken, for estimation of HBD-2 gene expression .
The patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 was instructed to use topical calcipotriol-betamethasone ointment once daily for 4 weeks where group 2 was instructed to use topical betamethasone ointment twice daily for 4 weeks.
After the completion of the 4 weeks treatment the level of PASI score together with HBD-2 gene expression were re-estimated.
The level of PASI score showed elevation in the patients of the 2 groups before starting the treatment.
After the completion of the 4 weeks treatment the PASI score re-estimation showed significant reduction in both groups with significant difference between 2 groups where the more reduction was in group 1.
The level of HBD-2 gene expression showed elevation in the patients of the 2 groups before starting the treatment.
After the completion of the 4 weeks treatment the level of HBD-2 gene expression showed significant reduction in both groups and there was significant difference between 2 groups where group 1 showed more reduction than group 2.
Calcipotriol/betamethasone ointment was generally well tolerated option in treatment of localized plaque psoriasis. It showed significant improvement in disease severity in terms of PASI score reduction and in HBD-2 gene expression reduction and it was better than betamethasone ointment alone in both PASI and HBD-2 gene expression reduction.