Fig. 1

Clinical study design. We performed a two-armed, double blind, randomized, cross-over phase II study. Patients were randomized into two groups receiving either calcipotriol ointment (0.05 µg/g) or the placebo. 1 g of ointment (either verum or placebo) was applied topically on each of two designated target wounds for a period of 4 weeks. After a 2-month wash-out phase the patient crossed over into the second treatment arm. Clinical assessment of patients was performed every two weeks (day 0, 14 and 28) at the study center when wounds were photographed and swabbed for microbiome analysis