Treatment of psoriasis with biologics in the early COVID-19 pandemic: A study examining patient attitudes toward the treatment and disease course

Impact of Treatment Interruption on the Effectiveness of Interleukin (IL)-17A Inhibitors in Plaque Psoriasis: A Retrospective Analysis

Background

Plaque psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease. This study aimed to investigate effectiveness of interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor treatment and effectiveness after treatment interruption in plaque psoriasis patients and analyze the related factors.

Methods

This study retrospectively collected clinical characteristics and related treatment status of plaque psoriasis patients treated with IL-17A inhibitors, and evaluated the treatment effectiveness, reasons for treatment interruption, effectiveness after treatment interruption, and risk factors affecting treatment effectiveness.

Results

This study ultimately included 106 patients with plaque psoriasis, including 61 males (57.55%) and 45 females (42.45%), aged 41.0 (31.0-54.0) years and with a disease duration of 12.0 (8.0-20.0) months. Among them, 71 cases (67%) achieved PASI90 after receiving IL-17A inhibitor treatment, and 35 cases (33.02%) achieved PASI75. A total of 50 patients (50/106, 47.17%) interrupted treatment, 23 patients (23/50, 46%) maintained a therapeutic effect of PASI90 or above, and 27 patients (27/50, 54%) had a therapeutic effect lower than PASI75, with median time of treatment interruption of 1.0 (1.0-3.5) months. Univariate analysis findings showed that duration of IL-17A inhibitor treatment interruption and reasons for interruption had significant statistical significance on treatment effectiveness (all P<0.05). In multivariate analysis, treatment interruption (OR=7.154, 95% CI: 2.528-20.24) and reasons such as stress/anxiety (OR: 14.889, 95% CI: 1.160-23.480) were risk factors affecting treatment effectiveness.

Conclusion

Interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor treatment interruption plays critical effects on the treatment of plaque psoriasis. Early and long-term adherence to IL-17A inhibitor treatment can control the course of the disease and improve the long-term health of psoriasis patients.

Prevalence, outcomes and associated factors of SARS-CoV-2 infection in psoriasis patients of Southwest China: a cross-sectional survey

In this study we aimed to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in psoriasis patients, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated risk factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from February 2023 to March 2023. Information was obtained with online questionnaire about psoriasis patients on demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, SARS-CoV-2 infection and outcomes, vaccination, and routine protection against COVID-19. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore risk factors with SARS-CoV-2 infection and exacerbation of psoriasis. A total of 613 participants were recruited. 516 (84.2%) were infected, and associated factors were sex, working status, routine protection against COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccination, impaired nail, infection exacerbate psoriasis, and severity of psoriasis. Among the patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, 30 (5.8%) required hospitalization, 122 (23.6%) had psoriasis exacerbation due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and associated factors were subtype of psoriasis, discontinuation of psoriasis treatment during SARS-CoV-2 infection, response following COVID-19 vaccination, and severity of psoriasis. Booster dose vaccination contributed a low probability of COVID-19 sequelae. COVID-19 vaccine's effectiveness was unsatisfactory, while booster dose vaccination reduced the occurrence of COVID-19 sequelae in psoriasis patients of Southwest China. Patients treated with psoriasis shown to be safe, without a higher incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19hospitalization compared to untreated patients. Stopping treatment during SARS-CoV-2 infection led to psoriasis exacerbation, so psoriasis treatment could be continued except severe adverse reaction.

Skin Manifestations in Psoriatic and HS Patients in Treatment with Biologicals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a global public health emergency, has changed dermatology practice and daily routine in just under two years. Much has been written in the literature about COVID-19-associated skin manifestations. Nevertheless, much less has been written regarding skin manifestations in patients affected by severe immune-mediated skin diseases, e.g., psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa, undergoing biological treatment during the COVID-19 outbreak. Thus, the aim of this article is to provide the reader with an overview of the cutaneous manifestations during the COVID-19 pandemic in this subset of patients.