How is acitretin administered for the treatment of psoriasis?

After appropriate counseling and laboratory tests (liver function tests, serum lipid tests, pregnancy tests), oral acitretin is initially taken with food twice per day in a dosage range of 25 to 50 mg/day. Studies have shown that higher doses are only marginally more effective, but the dose-related side effects are much more common and severe. After the initial response to therapy, which usually takes 8 to 16 weeks, the maintenance dose can often be lowered to 25 mg/day or every other day.