Is apremilast for psoriasis as effective and safe as reported in clinical trials? Five-year experience from a Greek tertiary hospital: long-term real-life efficacy and safety of apremilast in Greece

Efficacy, tolerability and patient's satisfaction for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis with apremilast in the real-life setting of Campania region, Italy

BACKGROUND

Little information is available from real-life studies evaluating the efficacy of apremilast in moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

METHODS

In this real-life study, we retrospectively examined a database of 231 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with apremilast (30 mg twice/day) and followed up for 52 weeks. Disease severity and treatment response were assessed by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) at baseline and after 16, 24, and 52 weeks. Quality of life was assessed by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).

RESULTS

PASI score decreased from 14.6 at baseline to 4.1 and 1.2 at 16 and 24 weeks. At 24 weeks, 86.7% of patients achieved a PASI score of ≤3 and this improved up to 52 weeks, where all patients had a PASI score of ≤3. At 24 weeks, PASI 75, 90 and 100 responses were achieved in 92%, 83.2% and 36.3% of patients, respectively. At 52 weeks, PASI 75, 90 and 100 response were achieved in 97%, 89.3% and 62% of patients, respectively. DLQI score was 12.4 at baseline and decreased to 2 at week 24, and close to 0 at week 52. No serious adverse event was reported during the treatment with apremilast.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with moderate-severe chronic psoriasis in a real world-setting apremilast was shown to be effective and safe up to 52 weeks.