Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Symptom improvement
Systematic review	671 people; psoriasis severity not reported 3 RCTs in this analysis	Psoriasis severity scores 6–8 weeks with calcipotriol plus potent topical corticosteroids with calcipotriol alone Absolute results not reported	SMD 0.42 95% CI 0.12 to 0.72	Effect size not calculated	calcipotriol plus potent topical corticosteroids
Systematic review	218 people. psoriasis severity not reported 2 RCTs in this analysis	Psoriasis severity scores 6–8 weeks with calcipotriol plus very potent topical corticosteroids with calcipotriol alone Absolute results not reported	SMD +0.37 95% CI –0.08 to +0.81		Not significant
RCT 4-armed trial	1603 people with chronic plaque psoriasis involving at least 10% of body surface	Mean change in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score 4 weeks –71% with combined calcipotriol plus betamethasone –46% with calcipotriol alone	Significance for combination treatment v calcipotriol alone not reported
RCT 4-armed trial	1043 people with mild to moderate chronic plaque psoriasis involving at least 10% of body surface	Proportion of people with marked improvement in lesion severity 4 weeks 229/301 (76%) with calcipotriol plus betamethasone 103/308 (33%) with calcipotriol alone	OR 0.14 for combination v calcipotriol alone 95% CI 0.10 to 0.20	Large effect size	calcipotriol plus betamethasone
RCT 3-armed trial	972 people with psoriasis affecting at least 10% of body surface	Mean reduction in PASI score 73% with calcipotriol and betamethasone once daily for 8 weeks 64% with calcipotriol alone twice daily Absolute numbers not reported	P <0.001 for combined treatment v calcipotriol alone	Effect size not calculated	calcipotriol plus betamethasone
RCT 3-armed trial	972 people with psoriasis affecting at least 10% of body surface	Mean reduction in PASI score 68% with alternating regimen: calcipotriol and betamethasone once daily for 4 weeks, then calcipotriol alone on week days and the combined product on weekends 64% with calcipotriol alone twice daily Absolute numbers not reported	P = 0.03 for alternating regimen v calcipotriol alone	Effect size not calculated	calcipotriol plus betamethasone