In vivo percutaneous absorption of hydrocortisone in psoriatic patients and normal volunteers.

Our objective was to determine the percutaneous absorption of hydrocortisone in psoriatic skin. [14C]-Hydrocortisone formulated as a 0.5% cream was applied to sharply defined erythematous plaques with silvery scales on the dorsal forearm of four hospitalized psoriatic patients. An average 2.32 +/- 1.4 (SD) percent of the applied dose was absorbed. The absorption of the same dose from the dorsal forearm of six normal subjects was 2.45 +/- 1.2%. We conclude that for presumably stable psoriatic plaques, the percutaneous absorption of hydrocortisone is the same as for normal skin.