For patients with disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis (DSAP), benefits are comparable with lovastatin cream with and without the addition of cholesterol cream, according to a study published online March 22 in JAMA Dermatology.

Gabriella Santa Lucia, M.D., from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, and colleagues conducted a randomized trial to compare the safety and efficacy of 12 weeks of topical lovastatin 2 percent plus cholesterol 2 percent cream (lovastatin-cholesterol) and topical lovastatin 2 percent cream alone (lovastatin) in adults diagnosed with DSAP (17 and 14 patients, respectively). The final analysis included 12 patients in each group.

The researchers found that from week 1 to week 12, there was about a 50 percent decrease in disease severity, from 3.08 to 1.54 points and from 2.92 to 1.50 points on the DSAP General Assessment Severity Index in the lovastatin-cholesterol and lovastatin groups, respectively. At the end of 12 weeks, no significant difference was seen between the treatment groups according to application frequency. Myalgia, elevation in the creatine kinase level, application discomfort, and rash were included as adverse events; there were no serious adverse events reported.

"This preliminary study provides a signal of effect to power future subsequent studies," the authors write. "A larger, longer-term, in-person clinical trial with a validated assessment scale may benefit this patient population."

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