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Expert Q&A: What’s new in alopecia areata research and treatment?
LAS VEGAS – Alopecia is hard to bear for patients and has been difficult to treat, but “,” according to Maria Hordinsky, MD.
Dr. Hordinsky, professor and chair of the department of dermatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, discussed hair disorders in multiple presentations at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. In an interview after her session on alopecia areata, she elaborated on the state of research and treatment for patients with this diagnosis.
DERMATOLOGY NEWS: What has changed in alopecia areata treatment over the last few years?
Dr. Hordinsky: There is still no Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment for this disease. But recent studies have helped us understand how alopecia areata occurs, how important interleukin-15 is, and how to target this cytokine as well as others. At the same time, expertise has developed at several centers across the United States with using the Janus kinase inhibitor tofacitinib [Xeljanz] at 5 milligrams twice a day. This has led to more off-label use. Concurrently, many pharmaceutical companies with interest in alopecia areata have begun to study different JAK inhibitors that target different cytokine receptors. Researchers also are exploring topical JAK inhibitors.
DN: What about the high costs of these drugs?
Dr. Hordinsky: Some insurers are covering tofacitinib, and patient assistance programs are very helpful and beneficial. In my own practice, most patients taking these drugs are using those programs.
DN: Are any treatments being used less than in the past?
Dr. Hordinsky: We’re still using tools that we have in the toolbox because we don’t have an approved treatment. We use topical steroids and intralesional steroids. We also use prednisone as needed, and we use contact sensitization therapy.
DN: In your presentation, you talked about alopecia areata in body areas outside of the scalp. What should dermatologists know about the eyebrows in patients with alopecia areata?
Dr. Hordinsky: Some patients don’t care as much about the scalp hair loss because they’ve figured out how to deal with it. What really bothers some patients is their eyebrow hair loss. You can think of situations where alopecia areata creates a circle in the middle of the eyebrow on the left side, but not the right, or you lose one eyebrow but not the other. We use techniques such as intralesional steroids. If there’s some hair growth present that’s lightly pigmented, we may apply topical minoxidil or Latisse [bimatoprost] to the brow area. Patients may also do microblading.
DN: Are there eyebrow prosthetics?
Dr. Hordinsky: Yes, there are. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation provides a lot of information to patients and providers about these devices. There are devices that you can tape on your brow area. Some don’t look great cosmetically, but some look fantastic. Microblading may create the most normal appearance.
DN: What about eyelashes?
Dr. Hordinsky: Eyelash loss is tough and really bothersome to patients if they don’t wear glasses because of the protection provided by eyelashes, such as when you blink against airborne dust. If there is some hair present in the eyebrow regions, one can try to regrow hair and use something that’s safe in that region, like topical Latisse. These treatments have to be tried for a couple of months before you say yea or nay, and you and the patient have to have reasonable expectations.
DN: What about men’s beards?
Dr. Hordinsky: You can treat those areas with topical or intralesional steroids. My own experience is that you have to use intralesional steroids, and overall, this form of alopecia areata may be one of the most difficult to manage successfully.
DN: Do men complain about missing chest hair?
Dr. Hordinsky: Chest hair doesn’t come up a lot for me. For men, it’s mainly the beard area. But people with alopecia areata may sometimes minimize or not bring up discussion of loss of hair in the underarms, the genital region, or the chest. It may be because they’ve figured out how to deal with it.
DN: How do you think treatments will improve over the next 5-10 years?
Dr. Hordinsky: We have a number of companies putting JAK inhibitors into clinical trials. A major step forward will be figuring out which one works the best, and then the next hurdle will be sustainability. There are very few studies in alopecia areata about how long a response to treatment can be maintained. Another big step will be the development of a topical agent that is able to penetrate through the skin to the level of the immune attack at the lower part of the hair follicle and provide the opportunity to possibly not only grow hair but also to maintain hair growth. So there’s a lot of evolution going on right now.
Dr. Hordinsky disclosed consulting work with Procter & Gamble, Concert, and Cassiopea, and grant/research support from Aclaris, National Alopecia Areata Foundation, Allergan.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – Alopecia is hard to bear for patients and has been difficult to treat, but “,” according to Maria Hordinsky, MD.
Dr. Hordinsky, professor and chair of the department of dermatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, discussed hair disorders in multiple presentations at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. In an interview after her session on alopecia areata, she elaborated on the state of research and treatment for patients with this diagnosis.
DERMATOLOGY NEWS: What has changed in alopecia areata treatment over the last few years?
Dr. Hordinsky: There is still no Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment for this disease. But recent studies have helped us understand how alopecia areata occurs, how important interleukin-15 is, and how to target this cytokine as well as others. At the same time, expertise has developed at several centers across the United States with using the Janus kinase inhibitor tofacitinib [Xeljanz] at 5 milligrams twice a day. This has led to more off-label use. Concurrently, many pharmaceutical companies with interest in alopecia areata have begun to study different JAK inhibitors that target different cytokine receptors. Researchers also are exploring topical JAK inhibitors.
DN: What about the high costs of these drugs?
Dr. Hordinsky: Some insurers are covering tofacitinib, and patient assistance programs are very helpful and beneficial. In my own practice, most patients taking these drugs are using those programs.
DN: Are any treatments being used less than in the past?
Dr. Hordinsky: We’re still using tools that we have in the toolbox because we don’t have an approved treatment. We use topical steroids and intralesional steroids. We also use prednisone as needed, and we use contact sensitization therapy.
DN: In your presentation, you talked about alopecia areata in body areas outside of the scalp. What should dermatologists know about the eyebrows in patients with alopecia areata?
Dr. Hordinsky: Some patients don’t care as much about the scalp hair loss because they’ve figured out how to deal with it. What really bothers some patients is their eyebrow hair loss. You can think of situations where alopecia areata creates a circle in the middle of the eyebrow on the left side, but not the right, or you lose one eyebrow but not the other. We use techniques such as intralesional steroids. If there’s some hair growth present that’s lightly pigmented, we may apply topical minoxidil or Latisse [bimatoprost] to the brow area. Patients may also do microblading.
DN: Are there eyebrow prosthetics?
Dr. Hordinsky: Yes, there are. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation provides a lot of information to patients and providers about these devices. There are devices that you can tape on your brow area. Some don’t look great cosmetically, but some look fantastic. Microblading may create the most normal appearance.
DN: What about eyelashes?
Dr. Hordinsky: Eyelash loss is tough and really bothersome to patients if they don’t wear glasses because of the protection provided by eyelashes, such as when you blink against airborne dust. If there is some hair present in the eyebrow regions, one can try to regrow hair and use something that’s safe in that region, like topical Latisse. These treatments have to be tried for a couple of months before you say yea or nay, and you and the patient have to have reasonable expectations.
DN: What about men’s beards?
Dr. Hordinsky: You can treat those areas with topical or intralesional steroids. My own experience is that you have to use intralesional steroids, and overall, this form of alopecia areata may be one of the most difficult to manage successfully.
DN: Do men complain about missing chest hair?
Dr. Hordinsky: Chest hair doesn’t come up a lot for me. For men, it’s mainly the beard area. But people with alopecia areata may sometimes minimize or not bring up discussion of loss of hair in the underarms, the genital region, or the chest. It may be because they’ve figured out how to deal with it.
DN: How do you think treatments will improve over the next 5-10 years?
Dr. Hordinsky: We have a number of companies putting JAK inhibitors into clinical trials. A major step forward will be figuring out which one works the best, and then the next hurdle will be sustainability. There are very few studies in alopecia areata about how long a response to treatment can be maintained. Another big step will be the development of a topical agent that is able to penetrate through the skin to the level of the immune attack at the lower part of the hair follicle and provide the opportunity to possibly not only grow hair but also to maintain hair growth. So there’s a lot of evolution going on right now.
Dr. Hordinsky disclosed consulting work with Procter & Gamble, Concert, and Cassiopea, and grant/research support from Aclaris, National Alopecia Areata Foundation, Allergan.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – Alopecia is hard to bear for patients and has been difficult to treat, but “,” according to Maria Hordinsky, MD.
Dr. Hordinsky, professor and chair of the department of dermatology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, discussed hair disorders in multiple presentations at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. In an interview after her session on alopecia areata, she elaborated on the state of research and treatment for patients with this diagnosis.
DERMATOLOGY NEWS: What has changed in alopecia areata treatment over the last few years?
Dr. Hordinsky: There is still no Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment for this disease. But recent studies have helped us understand how alopecia areata occurs, how important interleukin-15 is, and how to target this cytokine as well as others. At the same time, expertise has developed at several centers across the United States with using the Janus kinase inhibitor tofacitinib [Xeljanz] at 5 milligrams twice a day. This has led to more off-label use. Concurrently, many pharmaceutical companies with interest in alopecia areata have begun to study different JAK inhibitors that target different cytokine receptors. Researchers also are exploring topical JAK inhibitors.
DN: What about the high costs of these drugs?
Dr. Hordinsky: Some insurers are covering tofacitinib, and patient assistance programs are very helpful and beneficial. In my own practice, most patients taking these drugs are using those programs.
DN: Are any treatments being used less than in the past?
Dr. Hordinsky: We’re still using tools that we have in the toolbox because we don’t have an approved treatment. We use topical steroids and intralesional steroids. We also use prednisone as needed, and we use contact sensitization therapy.
DN: In your presentation, you talked about alopecia areata in body areas outside of the scalp. What should dermatologists know about the eyebrows in patients with alopecia areata?
Dr. Hordinsky: Some patients don’t care as much about the scalp hair loss because they’ve figured out how to deal with it. What really bothers some patients is their eyebrow hair loss. You can think of situations where alopecia areata creates a circle in the middle of the eyebrow on the left side, but not the right, or you lose one eyebrow but not the other. We use techniques such as intralesional steroids. If there’s some hair growth present that’s lightly pigmented, we may apply topical minoxidil or Latisse [bimatoprost] to the brow area. Patients may also do microblading.
DN: Are there eyebrow prosthetics?
Dr. Hordinsky: Yes, there are. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation provides a lot of information to patients and providers about these devices. There are devices that you can tape on your brow area. Some don’t look great cosmetically, but some look fantastic. Microblading may create the most normal appearance.
DN: What about eyelashes?
Dr. Hordinsky: Eyelash loss is tough and really bothersome to patients if they don’t wear glasses because of the protection provided by eyelashes, such as when you blink against airborne dust. If there is some hair present in the eyebrow regions, one can try to regrow hair and use something that’s safe in that region, like topical Latisse. These treatments have to be tried for a couple of months before you say yea or nay, and you and the patient have to have reasonable expectations.
DN: What about men’s beards?
Dr. Hordinsky: You can treat those areas with topical or intralesional steroids. My own experience is that you have to use intralesional steroids, and overall, this form of alopecia areata may be one of the most difficult to manage successfully.
DN: Do men complain about missing chest hair?
Dr. Hordinsky: Chest hair doesn’t come up a lot for me. For men, it’s mainly the beard area. But people with alopecia areata may sometimes minimize or not bring up discussion of loss of hair in the underarms, the genital region, or the chest. It may be because they’ve figured out how to deal with it.
DN: How do you think treatments will improve over the next 5-10 years?
Dr. Hordinsky: We have a number of companies putting JAK inhibitors into clinical trials. A major step forward will be figuring out which one works the best, and then the next hurdle will be sustainability. There are very few studies in alopecia areata about how long a response to treatment can be maintained. Another big step will be the development of a topical agent that is able to penetrate through the skin to the level of the immune attack at the lower part of the hair follicle and provide the opportunity to possibly not only grow hair but also to maintain hair growth. So there’s a lot of evolution going on right now.
Dr. Hordinsky disclosed consulting work with Procter & Gamble, Concert, and Cassiopea, and grant/research support from Aclaris, National Alopecia Areata Foundation, Allergan.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
EXPERT ANALYSIS FROM SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
Topical treatments remain a good option for psoriasis
LAS VEGAS – in mild cases of psoriasis.
Topicals often are a worthwhile complement to even the most advanced systemic medications, according to Linda Stein Gold, MD, director of clinical research in the department of dermatology at the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit.
Speaking at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar, she pointed out that as the variety of vehicles for topical treatments has grown, so has the need to pay attention to the potency of these treatments. “Traditionally, we had thought we had to use a thick ointment to drive the drug in and get the best efficacy,” she said. “But we’ve changed our thought process.”
For example, betamethasone dipropionate 0.05%, now comes in multiple types of ointments and creams, with different potency classes, including Diprolene ointment, 0.05%, Diprosone cream, 0.05%, Diprolene cream AF, 0.05%, and Diprolene cream, 0.05%, as well as a lotion and an emollient spray.
“It’s the same active drug, but different vehicles absolutely change the potency of the drug,” Dr. Stein Gold said.
So which is the most potent? She said you can’t tell just by the vehicle. In this case, the most potent forms – in the “superpotent” class 1 – are Diprolene cream, 0.05%, and Diprolene ointment, 0.05%. (The National Psoriasis Foundation has a potency chart for topical psoriasis medications.)
She also recommended considering combination therapy with tazarotene. Tazarotene, a vitamin A derivative, is associated with a variety of side effects in 10%-30% of patients, including pruritus, erythema, irritation, skin pain, psoriasis worsening, and burning/stinging. But combination therapy with topical corticosteroids can reduce adverse effects, and it boosts efficacy as well, Dr. Stein Gold said.
She added that tazarotene can be a tool against acne. The 0.1% cream and gel formulations are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating acne; the 0.05% cream and gel forms are approved only for psoriasis. “Both concentrations work well and hit the different pillars of the pathogenesis of acne,” she said.
In addition, Dr. Stein Gold noted that she led two 2018 studies that found a fixed combination of halobetasol propionate 0.01% and tazarotene 0.045% lotion in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis was associated with significant reductions in the severity of the clinical signs of psoriasis, and minimal safety concerns (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Aug;79[2]:287-93).
As for the future in topical treatment for psoriasis, she said researchers are exploring phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, Janus kinase inhibitors, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists.
Dr. Stein Gold disclosed speaker bureau relationships with Galderma, Leo, Valeant, Novartis, Celgene and Allergan; consulting for Sol‐Gel, Galderma, Leo, Novan, Valeant, Dermira, Novartis, Celgene, Allergan, Foamix, Promius, Anacor and Medimetriks; receiving grant/research support from Galderma, Leo, Novan, Valeant, Dermira, Novartis, Celgene, Allergan and Foamix; and serving on scientific advisory boards for Galderma, Leo, Novan, Valeant, Dermira, Novartis, Celgene, Allergan, Foamix and Promius.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – in mild cases of psoriasis.
Topicals often are a worthwhile complement to even the most advanced systemic medications, according to Linda Stein Gold, MD, director of clinical research in the department of dermatology at the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit.
Speaking at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar, she pointed out that as the variety of vehicles for topical treatments has grown, so has the need to pay attention to the potency of these treatments. “Traditionally, we had thought we had to use a thick ointment to drive the drug in and get the best efficacy,” she said. “But we’ve changed our thought process.”
For example, betamethasone dipropionate 0.05%, now comes in multiple types of ointments and creams, with different potency classes, including Diprolene ointment, 0.05%, Diprosone cream, 0.05%, Diprolene cream AF, 0.05%, and Diprolene cream, 0.05%, as well as a lotion and an emollient spray.
“It’s the same active drug, but different vehicles absolutely change the potency of the drug,” Dr. Stein Gold said.
So which is the most potent? She said you can’t tell just by the vehicle. In this case, the most potent forms – in the “superpotent” class 1 – are Diprolene cream, 0.05%, and Diprolene ointment, 0.05%. (The National Psoriasis Foundation has a potency chart for topical psoriasis medications.)
She also recommended considering combination therapy with tazarotene. Tazarotene, a vitamin A derivative, is associated with a variety of side effects in 10%-30% of patients, including pruritus, erythema, irritation, skin pain, psoriasis worsening, and burning/stinging. But combination therapy with topical corticosteroids can reduce adverse effects, and it boosts efficacy as well, Dr. Stein Gold said.
She added that tazarotene can be a tool against acne. The 0.1% cream and gel formulations are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating acne; the 0.05% cream and gel forms are approved only for psoriasis. “Both concentrations work well and hit the different pillars of the pathogenesis of acne,” she said.
In addition, Dr. Stein Gold noted that she led two 2018 studies that found a fixed combination of halobetasol propionate 0.01% and tazarotene 0.045% lotion in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis was associated with significant reductions in the severity of the clinical signs of psoriasis, and minimal safety concerns (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Aug;79[2]:287-93).
As for the future in topical treatment for psoriasis, she said researchers are exploring phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, Janus kinase inhibitors, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists.
Dr. Stein Gold disclosed speaker bureau relationships with Galderma, Leo, Valeant, Novartis, Celgene and Allergan; consulting for Sol‐Gel, Galderma, Leo, Novan, Valeant, Dermira, Novartis, Celgene, Allergan, Foamix, Promius, Anacor and Medimetriks; receiving grant/research support from Galderma, Leo, Novan, Valeant, Dermira, Novartis, Celgene, Allergan and Foamix; and serving on scientific advisory boards for Galderma, Leo, Novan, Valeant, Dermira, Novartis, Celgene, Allergan, Foamix and Promius.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – in mild cases of psoriasis.
Topicals often are a worthwhile complement to even the most advanced systemic medications, according to Linda Stein Gold, MD, director of clinical research in the department of dermatology at the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit.
Speaking at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar, she pointed out that as the variety of vehicles for topical treatments has grown, so has the need to pay attention to the potency of these treatments. “Traditionally, we had thought we had to use a thick ointment to drive the drug in and get the best efficacy,” she said. “But we’ve changed our thought process.”
For example, betamethasone dipropionate 0.05%, now comes in multiple types of ointments and creams, with different potency classes, including Diprolene ointment, 0.05%, Diprosone cream, 0.05%, Diprolene cream AF, 0.05%, and Diprolene cream, 0.05%, as well as a lotion and an emollient spray.
“It’s the same active drug, but different vehicles absolutely change the potency of the drug,” Dr. Stein Gold said.
So which is the most potent? She said you can’t tell just by the vehicle. In this case, the most potent forms – in the “superpotent” class 1 – are Diprolene cream, 0.05%, and Diprolene ointment, 0.05%. (The National Psoriasis Foundation has a potency chart for topical psoriasis medications.)
She also recommended considering combination therapy with tazarotene. Tazarotene, a vitamin A derivative, is associated with a variety of side effects in 10%-30% of patients, including pruritus, erythema, irritation, skin pain, psoriasis worsening, and burning/stinging. But combination therapy with topical corticosteroids can reduce adverse effects, and it boosts efficacy as well, Dr. Stein Gold said.
She added that tazarotene can be a tool against acne. The 0.1% cream and gel formulations are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating acne; the 0.05% cream and gel forms are approved only for psoriasis. “Both concentrations work well and hit the different pillars of the pathogenesis of acne,” she said.
In addition, Dr. Stein Gold noted that she led two 2018 studies that found a fixed combination of halobetasol propionate 0.01% and tazarotene 0.045% lotion in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis was associated with significant reductions in the severity of the clinical signs of psoriasis, and minimal safety concerns (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Aug;79[2]:287-93).
As for the future in topical treatment for psoriasis, she said researchers are exploring phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, Janus kinase inhibitors, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists.
Dr. Stein Gold disclosed speaker bureau relationships with Galderma, Leo, Valeant, Novartis, Celgene and Allergan; consulting for Sol‐Gel, Galderma, Leo, Novan, Valeant, Dermira, Novartis, Celgene, Allergan, Foamix, Promius, Anacor and Medimetriks; receiving grant/research support from Galderma, Leo, Novan, Valeant, Dermira, Novartis, Celgene, Allergan and Foamix; and serving on scientific advisory boards for Galderma, Leo, Novan, Valeant, Dermira, Novartis, Celgene, Allergan, Foamix and Promius.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
EXPERT ANALYSIS FROM SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
Treating psoriasis with biologics: Recommendations from an expert
LAS VEGAS – If you’re considering adding biologics for psoriasis to your clinical practice, dermatologist Kristina C. Duffin, MD, has some advice: Don’t expect to just use one drug, focus on comorbidities, and embrace strategies to bypass the potential obstacle of prior-authorization approvals.
Here are some tips from Dr. Duffin, who spoke at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar:
- Don’t expect a one-size-fits-all medication. “There is no one, single go-to drug,” said Dr. Duffin, who is cochair of the department of dermatology at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. “Maybe someday, we will have a biological personalized medicine marker to say this is the right drug, but for now we don’t.” More than 10 biologics are available to treat psoriasis, she said, and more are in the pipeline.
- Pay close attention to comorbidities. It’s important to “have a good grasp” of a patient’s comorbidities, which can help focus the choice of a biologic, Dr. Duffin said. She recommends starting with an anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents for patients with psoriatic arthritis. For patients with Crohn’s disease, she recommends anti-TNF (adalimumab, infliximab) and anti-interleukin–12/23 or anti-IL-23 agents (ustekinumab). Anti-TNF agents should be avoided in patients with multiple sclerosis, and anti-IL-17 agents shouldn’t be given to patients with recurrent candidiasis, she noted.
- Encourage patients to make prompt decisions. Dr. Duffin sits down with patients to discuss various biologic options, and she goes over information in handouts. She also focuses on their needs: “Are they interested in getting better fast? Do they want to be clear for their wedding in a month?” She prefers to not let patients go home to think about what they’d like to do. Instead, she advises patients to make choices while at the office visit.
- Order lab tests and be careful about vaccines. Dr. Duffin orders the following tests for all patients who are starting on biologics: CBC, comprehensive metabolic panel, hepatitis B and C, and tuberculosis. She orders HIV, Hba1c and lipid tests, if appropriate. She prefers that patients treated with biologics avoid live vaccines. She suggests other vaccines, if indicated, such as seasonal influenza and pneumonia vaccines, and for those aged 50 years and older, herpes zoster vaccine. She urges patients to call the office if they have an infection or need surgery because they may need to discuss putting a temporary hold on the biologics.
- Understand how to navigate formularies.“Getting drugs approved for patients with Medicare is a challenge,” Dr. Duffin said. It’s helpful to understand how insurers handle specific psoriasis drugs so you can choose one that’s likely to be covered if you’re unsure which one is best. The website www.covermymeds.com allows physicians to easily check insurer formularies, free of charge, she said.
- Documentation is crucial when you’re dealing with an insurer. Document body surface area, Psoriasis Area Severity Index scores, or physician global assessment measures, she advised. An app provided by the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, is a helpful in determining these measurements, she said. Also include information about failed treatments and the rationale behind why you chose a specific treatment, she said. “If denial happens, get the details,” she said. This may turn up a clerical error on the insurer’s part that incorrectly led to a denial.
- Escalate challenges to drug denials. If the preferred treatment is denied, one option is to appeal the denial. As a resource, Dr. Duffin pointed to sample letters for appealing denials for physicians and patients on the websites for the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Psoriasis Foundation. Ask for a limited 6-month approval, she said, or have the patient write a letter to the insurer using one of the sample letter templates. Another option is to ask the insurer for a “peer-to-peer” review, she said. “Sometimes it’s really hard for insurance company folks to say no to you if you have a really good story,” she commented.
- Help your patients get financial assistance. Almost every biologic manufacturer has a patient assistance plan, which can also help with deductibles and copays, Dr. Duffin said.
Dr. Duffin discloses consulting for AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sienna. She has received grant/contracted research support from AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sienna, Stiefel, and UCB.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – If you’re considering adding biologics for psoriasis to your clinical practice, dermatologist Kristina C. Duffin, MD, has some advice: Don’t expect to just use one drug, focus on comorbidities, and embrace strategies to bypass the potential obstacle of prior-authorization approvals.
Here are some tips from Dr. Duffin, who spoke at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar:
- Don’t expect a one-size-fits-all medication. “There is no one, single go-to drug,” said Dr. Duffin, who is cochair of the department of dermatology at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. “Maybe someday, we will have a biological personalized medicine marker to say this is the right drug, but for now we don’t.” More than 10 biologics are available to treat psoriasis, she said, and more are in the pipeline.
- Pay close attention to comorbidities. It’s important to “have a good grasp” of a patient’s comorbidities, which can help focus the choice of a biologic, Dr. Duffin said. She recommends starting with an anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents for patients with psoriatic arthritis. For patients with Crohn’s disease, she recommends anti-TNF (adalimumab, infliximab) and anti-interleukin–12/23 or anti-IL-23 agents (ustekinumab). Anti-TNF agents should be avoided in patients with multiple sclerosis, and anti-IL-17 agents shouldn’t be given to patients with recurrent candidiasis, she noted.
- Encourage patients to make prompt decisions. Dr. Duffin sits down with patients to discuss various biologic options, and she goes over information in handouts. She also focuses on their needs: “Are they interested in getting better fast? Do they want to be clear for their wedding in a month?” She prefers to not let patients go home to think about what they’d like to do. Instead, she advises patients to make choices while at the office visit.
- Order lab tests and be careful about vaccines. Dr. Duffin orders the following tests for all patients who are starting on biologics: CBC, comprehensive metabolic panel, hepatitis B and C, and tuberculosis. She orders HIV, Hba1c and lipid tests, if appropriate. She prefers that patients treated with biologics avoid live vaccines. She suggests other vaccines, if indicated, such as seasonal influenza and pneumonia vaccines, and for those aged 50 years and older, herpes zoster vaccine. She urges patients to call the office if they have an infection or need surgery because they may need to discuss putting a temporary hold on the biologics.
- Understand how to navigate formularies.“Getting drugs approved for patients with Medicare is a challenge,” Dr. Duffin said. It’s helpful to understand how insurers handle specific psoriasis drugs so you can choose one that’s likely to be covered if you’re unsure which one is best. The website www.covermymeds.com allows physicians to easily check insurer formularies, free of charge, she said.
- Documentation is crucial when you’re dealing with an insurer. Document body surface area, Psoriasis Area Severity Index scores, or physician global assessment measures, she advised. An app provided by the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, is a helpful in determining these measurements, she said. Also include information about failed treatments and the rationale behind why you chose a specific treatment, she said. “If denial happens, get the details,” she said. This may turn up a clerical error on the insurer’s part that incorrectly led to a denial.
- Escalate challenges to drug denials. If the preferred treatment is denied, one option is to appeal the denial. As a resource, Dr. Duffin pointed to sample letters for appealing denials for physicians and patients on the websites for the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Psoriasis Foundation. Ask for a limited 6-month approval, she said, or have the patient write a letter to the insurer using one of the sample letter templates. Another option is to ask the insurer for a “peer-to-peer” review, she said. “Sometimes it’s really hard for insurance company folks to say no to you if you have a really good story,” she commented.
- Help your patients get financial assistance. Almost every biologic manufacturer has a patient assistance plan, which can also help with deductibles and copays, Dr. Duffin said.
Dr. Duffin discloses consulting for AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sienna. She has received grant/contracted research support from AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sienna, Stiefel, and UCB.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – If you’re considering adding biologics for psoriasis to your clinical practice, dermatologist Kristina C. Duffin, MD, has some advice: Don’t expect to just use one drug, focus on comorbidities, and embrace strategies to bypass the potential obstacle of prior-authorization approvals.
Here are some tips from Dr. Duffin, who spoke at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar:
- Don’t expect a one-size-fits-all medication. “There is no one, single go-to drug,” said Dr. Duffin, who is cochair of the department of dermatology at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. “Maybe someday, we will have a biological personalized medicine marker to say this is the right drug, but for now we don’t.” More than 10 biologics are available to treat psoriasis, she said, and more are in the pipeline.
- Pay close attention to comorbidities. It’s important to “have a good grasp” of a patient’s comorbidities, which can help focus the choice of a biologic, Dr. Duffin said. She recommends starting with an anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents for patients with psoriatic arthritis. For patients with Crohn’s disease, she recommends anti-TNF (adalimumab, infliximab) and anti-interleukin–12/23 or anti-IL-23 agents (ustekinumab). Anti-TNF agents should be avoided in patients with multiple sclerosis, and anti-IL-17 agents shouldn’t be given to patients with recurrent candidiasis, she noted.
- Encourage patients to make prompt decisions. Dr. Duffin sits down with patients to discuss various biologic options, and she goes over information in handouts. She also focuses on their needs: “Are they interested in getting better fast? Do they want to be clear for their wedding in a month?” She prefers to not let patients go home to think about what they’d like to do. Instead, she advises patients to make choices while at the office visit.
- Order lab tests and be careful about vaccines. Dr. Duffin orders the following tests for all patients who are starting on biologics: CBC, comprehensive metabolic panel, hepatitis B and C, and tuberculosis. She orders HIV, Hba1c and lipid tests, if appropriate. She prefers that patients treated with biologics avoid live vaccines. She suggests other vaccines, if indicated, such as seasonal influenza and pneumonia vaccines, and for those aged 50 years and older, herpes zoster vaccine. She urges patients to call the office if they have an infection or need surgery because they may need to discuss putting a temporary hold on the biologics.
- Understand how to navigate formularies.“Getting drugs approved for patients with Medicare is a challenge,” Dr. Duffin said. It’s helpful to understand how insurers handle specific psoriasis drugs so you can choose one that’s likely to be covered if you’re unsure which one is best. The website www.covermymeds.com allows physicians to easily check insurer formularies, free of charge, she said.
- Documentation is crucial when you’re dealing with an insurer. Document body surface area, Psoriasis Area Severity Index scores, or physician global assessment measures, she advised. An app provided by the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, is a helpful in determining these measurements, she said. Also include information about failed treatments and the rationale behind why you chose a specific treatment, she said. “If denial happens, get the details,” she said. This may turn up a clerical error on the insurer’s part that incorrectly led to a denial.
- Escalate challenges to drug denials. If the preferred treatment is denied, one option is to appeal the denial. As a resource, Dr. Duffin pointed to sample letters for appealing denials for physicians and patients on the websites for the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Psoriasis Foundation. Ask for a limited 6-month approval, she said, or have the patient write a letter to the insurer using one of the sample letter templates. Another option is to ask the insurer for a “peer-to-peer” review, she said. “Sometimes it’s really hard for insurance company folks to say no to you if you have a really good story,” she commented.
- Help your patients get financial assistance. Almost every biologic manufacturer has a patient assistance plan, which can also help with deductibles and copays, Dr. Duffin said.
Dr. Duffin discloses consulting for AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sienna. She has received grant/contracted research support from AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sienna, Stiefel, and UCB.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
EXPERT ANALYSIS FROM SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
Comorbidities are important in psoriasis care
LAS VEGAS – Pay attention to comorbidities in your psoriasis patients because there may not be anyone else doing so.
“Many of our patients don’t have primary care physicians; many are untreated for psoriasis. They come to a clinical trial to get treated – some of them may not have insurance – so it is important for us to watch for these comorbidities,” Kristina C. Duffin, MD, said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar.
Yet, that does not seem to be happening consistently, according to Dr. Duffin, of the department of dermatology at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. One in five dermatologists admitted to never screening or referring their psoriasis patients for management of cardiovascular risks in a 2015 survey (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015 doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2015.07.029).
Often patients at the start of biologic therapy are counseled about the risk for developing tuberculosis, yet the lifetime risk for doing so in the United States is 0.3%. Similarly, patients are often counseled on the risk for developing lymphoma, even though the excess risk for developing lymphoma that can be attributed to psoriasis treatment is 7.9 per 100,000 psoriasis patients per year. That screening seems to be driven by warnings issued in direct-to-consumer advertising, Dr. Duffin suggested.
“Although psoriasis patients have an increased relative risk of lymphoma, the absolute risk attributable to psoriasis is low,” Dr. Duffin pointed out.
Some of the comorbidities she advised dermatologists to watch for are described below.
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is the most important psoriasis comorbidity, Dr. Duffin said. Between 20% and 30% of psoriasis patients will develop psoriatic arthritis.
In a study of 1,511 patients in 48 centers in Germany, 21% of psoriasis patients were diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and of those, more than 95% had active arthritis and 53% had five or more affected joints (Br J Dermatol. 2009;160[5]:1040-7).
The GRAPPA app is an easy, free screening tool for psoriatic arthritis; patients who score 3 or more out of 5 items on the psoriasis epidemiology screening tool (PEST) are deemed positive for psoriatic arthritis, Dr. Duffin noted.
Cardiovascular disease
Psoriasis patients are at increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular death, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, Dr. Duffin said. In fact, CV risk from severe psoriasis is similar to the risk conferred by diabetes.
She added that there is epidemiologic evidence for CV risk modification with several of the biologics approved for psoriasis.
Hypertension
Hypertension is prevalent and more severe in psoriasis patients, Dr. Duffin said, citing a 2011 case-control study of electronic medical records at the University of California, Davis. Psoriasis patients with hypertension were 5 times more likely than patients without psoriasis to be on one antihypertensive medication, 9.5 times more likely to be on two, and almost 20 times more likely to be on four antihypertensive medications (PLoS One. 2011 Mar 29;6[3]:e18227. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018227).
Importantly, few primary care physicians and cardiologists are aware of the increased risk for hypertension in psoriasis patients.
Less than half (45%) of primary care physicians and 57% of cardiologists reported they were aware that psoriasis was associated with worse cardiovascular outcome, and only 43% of physicians reported screening psoriasis patients for hypertension starting at age 20 years, according to a 2012 survey of 251 physicians (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2012 Sep;67[3]:357-62).
Dr. Duffin called on dermatologists to ensure that the primary care physicians they work with understand these increased risks.
“Commit to including a comment in consultation letters or letters back to primary care physicians that talks about the cardiovascular risks of the disease,” she said.
Dr. Duffin reported that she is a consultant and has received grant or contracted research support for many companies that manufacture dermatologic therapies.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – Pay attention to comorbidities in your psoriasis patients because there may not be anyone else doing so.
“Many of our patients don’t have primary care physicians; many are untreated for psoriasis. They come to a clinical trial to get treated – some of them may not have insurance – so it is important for us to watch for these comorbidities,” Kristina C. Duffin, MD, said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar.
Yet, that does not seem to be happening consistently, according to Dr. Duffin, of the department of dermatology at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. One in five dermatologists admitted to never screening or referring their psoriasis patients for management of cardiovascular risks in a 2015 survey (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015 doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2015.07.029).
Often patients at the start of biologic therapy are counseled about the risk for developing tuberculosis, yet the lifetime risk for doing so in the United States is 0.3%. Similarly, patients are often counseled on the risk for developing lymphoma, even though the excess risk for developing lymphoma that can be attributed to psoriasis treatment is 7.9 per 100,000 psoriasis patients per year. That screening seems to be driven by warnings issued in direct-to-consumer advertising, Dr. Duffin suggested.
“Although psoriasis patients have an increased relative risk of lymphoma, the absolute risk attributable to psoriasis is low,” Dr. Duffin pointed out.
Some of the comorbidities she advised dermatologists to watch for are described below.
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is the most important psoriasis comorbidity, Dr. Duffin said. Between 20% and 30% of psoriasis patients will develop psoriatic arthritis.
In a study of 1,511 patients in 48 centers in Germany, 21% of psoriasis patients were diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and of those, more than 95% had active arthritis and 53% had five or more affected joints (Br J Dermatol. 2009;160[5]:1040-7).
The GRAPPA app is an easy, free screening tool for psoriatic arthritis; patients who score 3 or more out of 5 items on the psoriasis epidemiology screening tool (PEST) are deemed positive for psoriatic arthritis, Dr. Duffin noted.
Cardiovascular disease
Psoriasis patients are at increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular death, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, Dr. Duffin said. In fact, CV risk from severe psoriasis is similar to the risk conferred by diabetes.
She added that there is epidemiologic evidence for CV risk modification with several of the biologics approved for psoriasis.
Hypertension
Hypertension is prevalent and more severe in psoriasis patients, Dr. Duffin said, citing a 2011 case-control study of electronic medical records at the University of California, Davis. Psoriasis patients with hypertension were 5 times more likely than patients without psoriasis to be on one antihypertensive medication, 9.5 times more likely to be on two, and almost 20 times more likely to be on four antihypertensive medications (PLoS One. 2011 Mar 29;6[3]:e18227. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018227).
Importantly, few primary care physicians and cardiologists are aware of the increased risk for hypertension in psoriasis patients.
Less than half (45%) of primary care physicians and 57% of cardiologists reported they were aware that psoriasis was associated with worse cardiovascular outcome, and only 43% of physicians reported screening psoriasis patients for hypertension starting at age 20 years, according to a 2012 survey of 251 physicians (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2012 Sep;67[3]:357-62).
Dr. Duffin called on dermatologists to ensure that the primary care physicians they work with understand these increased risks.
“Commit to including a comment in consultation letters or letters back to primary care physicians that talks about the cardiovascular risks of the disease,” she said.
Dr. Duffin reported that she is a consultant and has received grant or contracted research support for many companies that manufacture dermatologic therapies.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – Pay attention to comorbidities in your psoriasis patients because there may not be anyone else doing so.
“Many of our patients don’t have primary care physicians; many are untreated for psoriasis. They come to a clinical trial to get treated – some of them may not have insurance – so it is important for us to watch for these comorbidities,” Kristina C. Duffin, MD, said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar.
Yet, that does not seem to be happening consistently, according to Dr. Duffin, of the department of dermatology at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. One in five dermatologists admitted to never screening or referring their psoriasis patients for management of cardiovascular risks in a 2015 survey (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015 doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2015.07.029).
Often patients at the start of biologic therapy are counseled about the risk for developing tuberculosis, yet the lifetime risk for doing so in the United States is 0.3%. Similarly, patients are often counseled on the risk for developing lymphoma, even though the excess risk for developing lymphoma that can be attributed to psoriasis treatment is 7.9 per 100,000 psoriasis patients per year. That screening seems to be driven by warnings issued in direct-to-consumer advertising, Dr. Duffin suggested.
“Although psoriasis patients have an increased relative risk of lymphoma, the absolute risk attributable to psoriasis is low,” Dr. Duffin pointed out.
Some of the comorbidities she advised dermatologists to watch for are described below.
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is the most important psoriasis comorbidity, Dr. Duffin said. Between 20% and 30% of psoriasis patients will develop psoriatic arthritis.
In a study of 1,511 patients in 48 centers in Germany, 21% of psoriasis patients were diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and of those, more than 95% had active arthritis and 53% had five or more affected joints (Br J Dermatol. 2009;160[5]:1040-7).
The GRAPPA app is an easy, free screening tool for psoriatic arthritis; patients who score 3 or more out of 5 items on the psoriasis epidemiology screening tool (PEST) are deemed positive for psoriatic arthritis, Dr. Duffin noted.
Cardiovascular disease
Psoriasis patients are at increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular death, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, Dr. Duffin said. In fact, CV risk from severe psoriasis is similar to the risk conferred by diabetes.
She added that there is epidemiologic evidence for CV risk modification with several of the biologics approved for psoriasis.
Hypertension
Hypertension is prevalent and more severe in psoriasis patients, Dr. Duffin said, citing a 2011 case-control study of electronic medical records at the University of California, Davis. Psoriasis patients with hypertension were 5 times more likely than patients without psoriasis to be on one antihypertensive medication, 9.5 times more likely to be on two, and almost 20 times more likely to be on four antihypertensive medications (PLoS One. 2011 Mar 29;6[3]:e18227. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018227).
Importantly, few primary care physicians and cardiologists are aware of the increased risk for hypertension in psoriasis patients.
Less than half (45%) of primary care physicians and 57% of cardiologists reported they were aware that psoriasis was associated with worse cardiovascular outcome, and only 43% of physicians reported screening psoriasis patients for hypertension starting at age 20 years, according to a 2012 survey of 251 physicians (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2012 Sep;67[3]:357-62).
Dr. Duffin called on dermatologists to ensure that the primary care physicians they work with understand these increased risks.
“Commit to including a comment in consultation letters or letters back to primary care physicians that talks about the cardiovascular risks of the disease,” she said.
Dr. Duffin reported that she is a consultant and has received grant or contracted research support for many companies that manufacture dermatologic therapies.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
REPORTING FROM SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
Experience – not evidence – is best guide in keloid treatment
LAS VEGAS – The first written mention of keloids in history came about 4,500 years ago. But there is still so much more to be learned about keloids, according to dermatologist Hilary E. Baldwin, MD.
Yes, there is more information about who gets keloids and where they appear on the body. “What we do not know is everything else,” Dr. Baldwin said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. “We don’t even know which treatments work. Not a single treatment has any evidence basis behind it. It’s all fly-by-night, seat-of-your-pants, based on your knowledge and that of those who treat keloids frequently.”
. Cases show an unknown factor serves as a contributing factor, she said.
There’s no gender disparity in keloids, she said, and they’re more likely to occur after puberty than before. Family history isn’t helpful.
Also, while darker skin produces keloids more easily and consistently than other skin types, these keloids aren’t the hardest to treat, said Dr. Baldwin, medical director of the Acne Treatment and Research Center in Morristown, N.J. “From my personal experience – but not from data or papers – keloids are the most difficult to treat and recur the most when you see them in a Caucasian patient.”
Patients want the keloids to disappear forever along with any evidence that they ever existed. “Virtually every patient says ‘I want this cut off, I want it gone,’” Dr. Baldwin said. “And they want it gone yesterday. Few understand this is a long process. I tell them we’ll become extraordinarily good friends over the next 6-12 months while we get rid of this thing.” Moreover, it’s not possible to eliminate keloids without leaving a sign behind. “Most want it eradicated with normal skin,” but the skin beneath a keloid “will never look normal,” she observed.
The following are some tips for treating patients with keloids that she provided during her presentation:
- Surgery is usually not an option, and it may be necessary to convince patients about other treatment options. “Most don’t want corticosteroid injections, but that is how we treat them and keep them from coming back,” Dr. Baldwin said.
- Surgery may be appropriate in certain cases, such as keloids that are shaped like mushrooms and are attached to the skin via a stalk. Patient compliance with adjunctive therapy (injected corticosteroids) is crucial to prevent recurrence after surgery. Be aware that some patients – such as those who are afraid of needles – may refuse to return. Earlobes, a common site of keloids because of earrings, are a special case in surgery. Patients with earlobe keloids often fare well after surgery, Dr. Baldwin said, and recurrence is less common than in other parts of the body, especially when corticosteroids are added. It helps that patients are often more compliant with adjunctive therapy, she added, because the keloids are highly visible, and they want to wear earrings again.
- Ask patients what bothers them the most about the keloids. Some may want to eliminate burning, itching, or stinging, and Dr. Baldwin attempts to treat those issues. Patients may want keloids to be softer, flatter, or lighter, she said.
- Modification of the keloid’s appearance may be enough for some patients. For example, one of her patients objected to extensive keloids around his breasts because they gave him the appearance of cleavage. Another believed – accurately – that his keloid looked like male genitalia. Dr. Baldwin treated it with the keloid equivalent of castration (surgically removing its “testicles”) and circumcision of sorts (a flattening of its “glans penis” with corticosteroids). “It didn’t look pretty,” she said, “but it no longer looked offensive to him.”
- Many patients present with keloids on the chest, back, and deltoids, “which have to have been from acne, but you can’t actually see the pimples,” Dr. Baldwin said. In these cases, she may turn to isotretinoin. This is not for treatment of keloids, but is a preventive strategy to stop further lesions from appearing and causing more keloids, she explained.
- In addition to corticosteroids, other postsurgical options include freezing, interferon, pressure dressings, dextran hydrogel scaffolding, and radiation therapy.
Moving forward, researchers “are looking at biologics, TNF-alpha inhibitors, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors in hopes that we can find something that will stop the incessant forward movement of some of our keloid patients,” Dr. Baldwin noted.
Dr. Baldwin reported no relevant disclosures.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – The first written mention of keloids in history came about 4,500 years ago. But there is still so much more to be learned about keloids, according to dermatologist Hilary E. Baldwin, MD.
Yes, there is more information about who gets keloids and where they appear on the body. “What we do not know is everything else,” Dr. Baldwin said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. “We don’t even know which treatments work. Not a single treatment has any evidence basis behind it. It’s all fly-by-night, seat-of-your-pants, based on your knowledge and that of those who treat keloids frequently.”
. Cases show an unknown factor serves as a contributing factor, she said.
There’s no gender disparity in keloids, she said, and they’re more likely to occur after puberty than before. Family history isn’t helpful.
Also, while darker skin produces keloids more easily and consistently than other skin types, these keloids aren’t the hardest to treat, said Dr. Baldwin, medical director of the Acne Treatment and Research Center in Morristown, N.J. “From my personal experience – but not from data or papers – keloids are the most difficult to treat and recur the most when you see them in a Caucasian patient.”
Patients want the keloids to disappear forever along with any evidence that they ever existed. “Virtually every patient says ‘I want this cut off, I want it gone,’” Dr. Baldwin said. “And they want it gone yesterday. Few understand this is a long process. I tell them we’ll become extraordinarily good friends over the next 6-12 months while we get rid of this thing.” Moreover, it’s not possible to eliminate keloids without leaving a sign behind. “Most want it eradicated with normal skin,” but the skin beneath a keloid “will never look normal,” she observed.
The following are some tips for treating patients with keloids that she provided during her presentation:
- Surgery is usually not an option, and it may be necessary to convince patients about other treatment options. “Most don’t want corticosteroid injections, but that is how we treat them and keep them from coming back,” Dr. Baldwin said.
- Surgery may be appropriate in certain cases, such as keloids that are shaped like mushrooms and are attached to the skin via a stalk. Patient compliance with adjunctive therapy (injected corticosteroids) is crucial to prevent recurrence after surgery. Be aware that some patients – such as those who are afraid of needles – may refuse to return. Earlobes, a common site of keloids because of earrings, are a special case in surgery. Patients with earlobe keloids often fare well after surgery, Dr. Baldwin said, and recurrence is less common than in other parts of the body, especially when corticosteroids are added. It helps that patients are often more compliant with adjunctive therapy, she added, because the keloids are highly visible, and they want to wear earrings again.
- Ask patients what bothers them the most about the keloids. Some may want to eliminate burning, itching, or stinging, and Dr. Baldwin attempts to treat those issues. Patients may want keloids to be softer, flatter, or lighter, she said.
- Modification of the keloid’s appearance may be enough for some patients. For example, one of her patients objected to extensive keloids around his breasts because they gave him the appearance of cleavage. Another believed – accurately – that his keloid looked like male genitalia. Dr. Baldwin treated it with the keloid equivalent of castration (surgically removing its “testicles”) and circumcision of sorts (a flattening of its “glans penis” with corticosteroids). “It didn’t look pretty,” she said, “but it no longer looked offensive to him.”
- Many patients present with keloids on the chest, back, and deltoids, “which have to have been from acne, but you can’t actually see the pimples,” Dr. Baldwin said. In these cases, she may turn to isotretinoin. This is not for treatment of keloids, but is a preventive strategy to stop further lesions from appearing and causing more keloids, she explained.
- In addition to corticosteroids, other postsurgical options include freezing, interferon, pressure dressings, dextran hydrogel scaffolding, and radiation therapy.
Moving forward, researchers “are looking at biologics, TNF-alpha inhibitors, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors in hopes that we can find something that will stop the incessant forward movement of some of our keloid patients,” Dr. Baldwin noted.
Dr. Baldwin reported no relevant disclosures.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – The first written mention of keloids in history came about 4,500 years ago. But there is still so much more to be learned about keloids, according to dermatologist Hilary E. Baldwin, MD.
Yes, there is more information about who gets keloids and where they appear on the body. “What we do not know is everything else,” Dr. Baldwin said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. “We don’t even know which treatments work. Not a single treatment has any evidence basis behind it. It’s all fly-by-night, seat-of-your-pants, based on your knowledge and that of those who treat keloids frequently.”
. Cases show an unknown factor serves as a contributing factor, she said.
There’s no gender disparity in keloids, she said, and they’re more likely to occur after puberty than before. Family history isn’t helpful.
Also, while darker skin produces keloids more easily and consistently than other skin types, these keloids aren’t the hardest to treat, said Dr. Baldwin, medical director of the Acne Treatment and Research Center in Morristown, N.J. “From my personal experience – but not from data or papers – keloids are the most difficult to treat and recur the most when you see them in a Caucasian patient.”
Patients want the keloids to disappear forever along with any evidence that they ever existed. “Virtually every patient says ‘I want this cut off, I want it gone,’” Dr. Baldwin said. “And they want it gone yesterday. Few understand this is a long process. I tell them we’ll become extraordinarily good friends over the next 6-12 months while we get rid of this thing.” Moreover, it’s not possible to eliminate keloids without leaving a sign behind. “Most want it eradicated with normal skin,” but the skin beneath a keloid “will never look normal,” she observed.
The following are some tips for treating patients with keloids that she provided during her presentation:
- Surgery is usually not an option, and it may be necessary to convince patients about other treatment options. “Most don’t want corticosteroid injections, but that is how we treat them and keep them from coming back,” Dr. Baldwin said.
- Surgery may be appropriate in certain cases, such as keloids that are shaped like mushrooms and are attached to the skin via a stalk. Patient compliance with adjunctive therapy (injected corticosteroids) is crucial to prevent recurrence after surgery. Be aware that some patients – such as those who are afraid of needles – may refuse to return. Earlobes, a common site of keloids because of earrings, are a special case in surgery. Patients with earlobe keloids often fare well after surgery, Dr. Baldwin said, and recurrence is less common than in other parts of the body, especially when corticosteroids are added. It helps that patients are often more compliant with adjunctive therapy, she added, because the keloids are highly visible, and they want to wear earrings again.
- Ask patients what bothers them the most about the keloids. Some may want to eliminate burning, itching, or stinging, and Dr. Baldwin attempts to treat those issues. Patients may want keloids to be softer, flatter, or lighter, she said.
- Modification of the keloid’s appearance may be enough for some patients. For example, one of her patients objected to extensive keloids around his breasts because they gave him the appearance of cleavage. Another believed – accurately – that his keloid looked like male genitalia. Dr. Baldwin treated it with the keloid equivalent of castration (surgically removing its “testicles”) and circumcision of sorts (a flattening of its “glans penis” with corticosteroids). “It didn’t look pretty,” she said, “but it no longer looked offensive to him.”
- Many patients present with keloids on the chest, back, and deltoids, “which have to have been from acne, but you can’t actually see the pimples,” Dr. Baldwin said. In these cases, she may turn to isotretinoin. This is not for treatment of keloids, but is a preventive strategy to stop further lesions from appearing and causing more keloids, she explained.
- In addition to corticosteroids, other postsurgical options include freezing, interferon, pressure dressings, dextran hydrogel scaffolding, and radiation therapy.
Moving forward, researchers “are looking at biologics, TNF-alpha inhibitors, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors in hopes that we can find something that will stop the incessant forward movement of some of our keloid patients,” Dr. Baldwin noted.
Dr. Baldwin reported no relevant disclosures.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
AT SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
Think barrier repair for acne patients
LAS VEGAS – It’s time to start thinking about barrier repair in acne patients, Hilary E. Baldwin, MD, asserts.
“We think about barrier repair with our psoriasis patients, with our dermatitis patients, and our rosacea patients, but we don’t talk about it much with our acne patients,” Dr. Baldwin said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. “Now there is increasing evidence that acne pathophysiology may include a barrier defect.”
Both topical and systemic medications exacerbate the problem, because they are so drying, added Dr. Baldwin, medical director of the Acne Treatment & Research Center in Morristown, N.J. Benzoyl peroxide has been shown to increase transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and deplete tocopherol levels in the stratum corneum, while topical retinoids thin the stratum corneum, increase epidermal fragility, and increase TEWL.
The barrier defect may actually decrease medication use – patients are irritated and they stop taking their medication. “,” she said.
She described the results of an Internet-based survey of 200 acne patients aged 15-40 years who had been prescribed clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide 5% within the last 6 months (J Drugs Dermatol. 2011 Jun;10[6]:605-8). The researchers found that side effects lead to suboptimal use of the topical medication, as patients reported spot application, use only in flares, infrequent use, and discontinuation.
Further, 31% of patients complained to their doctors’ offices about dryness, 23% said their doctors did not understand the potential side effects, 21% lost confidence in their doctors, 11% said they were less likely to see their doctors again, and 41% reported using moisturizer to combat dryness and erythema.
“No acne visit is complete without a discussion of skin care,” Dr. Baldwin said. Quality moisturization is a must for acne patients and has been shown to improve TEWL, normalize ceramides, and repair the microbiome.
“I recommend moisturizers with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and certainly moisturizers that have been shown to be noncomedogenic,” Dr. Baldwin said. “Most acne patients aren’t willing to use a cream moisturizer during the day – they just feel too greasy – so I have them use a cream in the evening when they are home and a lotion in the morning.”
While there has been one very specific study of using a moisturizer before topical medications, there is no good data for this practice, Dr. Baldwin said. “Clearly, though, using a moisturizer reduces irritation, so I prefer to have my patients put on the moisturizer at a different time, but if that doesn’t work, I have them put it on before the medication.”
Dr. Baldwin indicated that she is on the speakers bureau for LaRoche Posay, Galderma, and Valeant, and had received grant and/or contracted research support from Dermira and Valeant.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – It’s time to start thinking about barrier repair in acne patients, Hilary E. Baldwin, MD, asserts.
“We think about barrier repair with our psoriasis patients, with our dermatitis patients, and our rosacea patients, but we don’t talk about it much with our acne patients,” Dr. Baldwin said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. “Now there is increasing evidence that acne pathophysiology may include a barrier defect.”
Both topical and systemic medications exacerbate the problem, because they are so drying, added Dr. Baldwin, medical director of the Acne Treatment & Research Center in Morristown, N.J. Benzoyl peroxide has been shown to increase transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and deplete tocopherol levels in the stratum corneum, while topical retinoids thin the stratum corneum, increase epidermal fragility, and increase TEWL.
The barrier defect may actually decrease medication use – patients are irritated and they stop taking their medication. “,” she said.
She described the results of an Internet-based survey of 200 acne patients aged 15-40 years who had been prescribed clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide 5% within the last 6 months (J Drugs Dermatol. 2011 Jun;10[6]:605-8). The researchers found that side effects lead to suboptimal use of the topical medication, as patients reported spot application, use only in flares, infrequent use, and discontinuation.
Further, 31% of patients complained to their doctors’ offices about dryness, 23% said their doctors did not understand the potential side effects, 21% lost confidence in their doctors, 11% said they were less likely to see their doctors again, and 41% reported using moisturizer to combat dryness and erythema.
“No acne visit is complete without a discussion of skin care,” Dr. Baldwin said. Quality moisturization is a must for acne patients and has been shown to improve TEWL, normalize ceramides, and repair the microbiome.
“I recommend moisturizers with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and certainly moisturizers that have been shown to be noncomedogenic,” Dr. Baldwin said. “Most acne patients aren’t willing to use a cream moisturizer during the day – they just feel too greasy – so I have them use a cream in the evening when they are home and a lotion in the morning.”
While there has been one very specific study of using a moisturizer before topical medications, there is no good data for this practice, Dr. Baldwin said. “Clearly, though, using a moisturizer reduces irritation, so I prefer to have my patients put on the moisturizer at a different time, but if that doesn’t work, I have them put it on before the medication.”
Dr. Baldwin indicated that she is on the speakers bureau for LaRoche Posay, Galderma, and Valeant, and had received grant and/or contracted research support from Dermira and Valeant.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
LAS VEGAS – It’s time to start thinking about barrier repair in acne patients, Hilary E. Baldwin, MD, asserts.
“We think about barrier repair with our psoriasis patients, with our dermatitis patients, and our rosacea patients, but we don’t talk about it much with our acne patients,” Dr. Baldwin said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. “Now there is increasing evidence that acne pathophysiology may include a barrier defect.”
Both topical and systemic medications exacerbate the problem, because they are so drying, added Dr. Baldwin, medical director of the Acne Treatment & Research Center in Morristown, N.J. Benzoyl peroxide has been shown to increase transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and deplete tocopherol levels in the stratum corneum, while topical retinoids thin the stratum corneum, increase epidermal fragility, and increase TEWL.
The barrier defect may actually decrease medication use – patients are irritated and they stop taking their medication. “,” she said.
She described the results of an Internet-based survey of 200 acne patients aged 15-40 years who had been prescribed clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide 5% within the last 6 months (J Drugs Dermatol. 2011 Jun;10[6]:605-8). The researchers found that side effects lead to suboptimal use of the topical medication, as patients reported spot application, use only in flares, infrequent use, and discontinuation.
Further, 31% of patients complained to their doctors’ offices about dryness, 23% said their doctors did not understand the potential side effects, 21% lost confidence in their doctors, 11% said they were less likely to see their doctors again, and 41% reported using moisturizer to combat dryness and erythema.
“No acne visit is complete without a discussion of skin care,” Dr. Baldwin said. Quality moisturization is a must for acne patients and has been shown to improve TEWL, normalize ceramides, and repair the microbiome.
“I recommend moisturizers with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and certainly moisturizers that have been shown to be noncomedogenic,” Dr. Baldwin said. “Most acne patients aren’t willing to use a cream moisturizer during the day – they just feel too greasy – so I have them use a cream in the evening when they are home and a lotion in the morning.”
While there has been one very specific study of using a moisturizer before topical medications, there is no good data for this practice, Dr. Baldwin said. “Clearly, though, using a moisturizer reduces irritation, so I prefer to have my patients put on the moisturizer at a different time, but if that doesn’t work, I have them put it on before the medication.”
Dr. Baldwin indicated that she is on the speakers bureau for LaRoche Posay, Galderma, and Valeant, and had received grant and/or contracted research support from Dermira and Valeant.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
REPORTING FROM SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
AD update: New insight into pathogenesis, prevention, and treatments
LAS VEGAS – Recent research has provided a rare triple whammy in the world of atopic dermatitis (AD). Over the last few years, Linda F. Stein Gold, MD, said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar.
AD affects an estimated 7% of adults in the United States and 13% of children under aged 18 years, according to the National Eczema Association. An estimated one-third of the affected children (3.2 million) have moderate to severe disease.
New information about AD includes more information pinpointing the genetic link. Dr. Stein Gold, director of clinical research in the department of dermatology at the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, pointed out that about 70% of patients with AD have a family history of atopic conditions.
Mutations in filaggrin appear to play a role in the development of AD, but a significant proportion of people with AD do not have evidence of filaggrin mutations and about 40% of people with defects never develop AD, she noted.
Emollients may be key to preventing AD. To explore the theory that defects on the skin barrier “might be key initiators of atopic dermatitis and possibly allergic sensitization,” investigators conducted a randomized controlled study of 124 babies at risk of AD in the United States and United Kingdom; parents of 55 babies applied emollients to their whole bodies from shortly after birth until 6 months while a control group used nothing (J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014 Oct; 134[4]:818-23).
At 6 months, those in the emollient group were half as likely to have developed AD (relative risk, 0.50; P = .017).
Bleach baths have received attention on the AD prevention front. Dr. Stein Gold pointed to a 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis of five studies that found both bleach and water baths reduced AD severity. Bleach baths were effective but not more so than water baths (Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017 Nov;119[5]:435-40). Also, there was no difference in skin infections or colonization with Staphylococcus aureus between the two.
So are water baths just as good as bleach baths? “I’m not 100% sure I buy into this,” Dr. Stein Gold said. “I’m still a bleach bath believer.”
Topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs) can be used as a “proactive,” steroid-sparing treatment to prevent relapses in AD, research suggests. For this purpose, the recommended maintenance dosage is two to three applications per week on areas that tend to flare; the TCI drugs can be used in conjunction with topical corticosteroids (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014 Jul;71[1]:116-32).
TCIs come with boxed warning because of concerns about such cancers as lymphoma. But recent research has not found a higher risk of lymphoma in patients with AD who are treated with the medication. “We’ve had these drugs for a long time, and they do appear to be safe,” Dr. Stein Gold said.
She referred to a 2015 review of 21 studies of almost 6,000 pediatric patients with AD who were treated with a TCI, which concluded that the drugs are safe and efficacious over the long term (Pediatric Allergy Immunol. 2015 Jun;26[4]:306-15).
“Everyone wants to know which ones are better,” Dr. Stein Gold said in regard to TCIs. But there aren’t head-to-head studies, she said, and it’s difficult to compare the available data on response rates between certain topical treatments because the studies are designed differently.
For example, with crisaborole (Eucrisa), the topical phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor approved in 2016 for mild to moderate AD in patients aged 2 years and up, clear/almost clear rates are 49%-52%, compared with 30%-40% with placebo, a 10%-20% difference. Rates with OPA-15406, an investigational topical selective PDE4 inhibitor, and with the TCI pimecrolimus (Elidel cream 1%) have been about 20% higher than with controls, but studies are designed differently, and the results cannot be compared, according to Dr. Stein Gold.
Dupilumab (Dupixent), a monoclonal antibody that inhibits signaling of both interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, approved in 2017 for adults with moderate to severe AD, has been a “game changer” for this population, Dr. Stein Gold said. “It looks like this drug has a good, durable effect,” she added (Lancet. 2017 Jun 10;389[10086]:2287-303).
However, she cautioned that up to 10% of patients treated with dupilumab – or more – may develop conjunctivitis. Researchers studying dupilumab in asthma have not seen this side effect, she said, so it may be unique to AD. “It’s something that’s real,” she said, noting that it’s not clear if it’s viral, allergic, or bacterial. Researchers are exploring the use of the drug in children, she added.
Dr. Stein Gold said there are other drugs in development for AD, but she cautioned that “the field is crowded ... and not all of them are going to make it.”
Drugs in development for AD include nemolizumab (a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits interleukin-31 signaling), upadacitinib (a JAK1 selective inhibitor), baricitinib (an oral JAK1/2 inhibitor), and topical tapinarof (an agonist of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor).
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
Dr. Stein Gold disclosed relationships with Galderma, Valeant, Ranbaxy, Promius, Actavis, Roche, Dermira, Medimetriks, Pfizer, Sanofi/Regeneron, Otsuka, and Taro.
LAS VEGAS – Recent research has provided a rare triple whammy in the world of atopic dermatitis (AD). Over the last few years, Linda F. Stein Gold, MD, said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar.
AD affects an estimated 7% of adults in the United States and 13% of children under aged 18 years, according to the National Eczema Association. An estimated one-third of the affected children (3.2 million) have moderate to severe disease.
New information about AD includes more information pinpointing the genetic link. Dr. Stein Gold, director of clinical research in the department of dermatology at the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, pointed out that about 70% of patients with AD have a family history of atopic conditions.
Mutations in filaggrin appear to play a role in the development of AD, but a significant proportion of people with AD do not have evidence of filaggrin mutations and about 40% of people with defects never develop AD, she noted.
Emollients may be key to preventing AD. To explore the theory that defects on the skin barrier “might be key initiators of atopic dermatitis and possibly allergic sensitization,” investigators conducted a randomized controlled study of 124 babies at risk of AD in the United States and United Kingdom; parents of 55 babies applied emollients to their whole bodies from shortly after birth until 6 months while a control group used nothing (J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014 Oct; 134[4]:818-23).
At 6 months, those in the emollient group were half as likely to have developed AD (relative risk, 0.50; P = .017).
Bleach baths have received attention on the AD prevention front. Dr. Stein Gold pointed to a 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis of five studies that found both bleach and water baths reduced AD severity. Bleach baths were effective but not more so than water baths (Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017 Nov;119[5]:435-40). Also, there was no difference in skin infections or colonization with Staphylococcus aureus between the two.
So are water baths just as good as bleach baths? “I’m not 100% sure I buy into this,” Dr. Stein Gold said. “I’m still a bleach bath believer.”
Topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs) can be used as a “proactive,” steroid-sparing treatment to prevent relapses in AD, research suggests. For this purpose, the recommended maintenance dosage is two to three applications per week on areas that tend to flare; the TCI drugs can be used in conjunction with topical corticosteroids (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014 Jul;71[1]:116-32).
TCIs come with boxed warning because of concerns about such cancers as lymphoma. But recent research has not found a higher risk of lymphoma in patients with AD who are treated with the medication. “We’ve had these drugs for a long time, and they do appear to be safe,” Dr. Stein Gold said.
She referred to a 2015 review of 21 studies of almost 6,000 pediatric patients with AD who were treated with a TCI, which concluded that the drugs are safe and efficacious over the long term (Pediatric Allergy Immunol. 2015 Jun;26[4]:306-15).
“Everyone wants to know which ones are better,” Dr. Stein Gold said in regard to TCIs. But there aren’t head-to-head studies, she said, and it’s difficult to compare the available data on response rates between certain topical treatments because the studies are designed differently.
For example, with crisaborole (Eucrisa), the topical phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor approved in 2016 for mild to moderate AD in patients aged 2 years and up, clear/almost clear rates are 49%-52%, compared with 30%-40% with placebo, a 10%-20% difference. Rates with OPA-15406, an investigational topical selective PDE4 inhibitor, and with the TCI pimecrolimus (Elidel cream 1%) have been about 20% higher than with controls, but studies are designed differently, and the results cannot be compared, according to Dr. Stein Gold.
Dupilumab (Dupixent), a monoclonal antibody that inhibits signaling of both interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, approved in 2017 for adults with moderate to severe AD, has been a “game changer” for this population, Dr. Stein Gold said. “It looks like this drug has a good, durable effect,” she added (Lancet. 2017 Jun 10;389[10086]:2287-303).
However, she cautioned that up to 10% of patients treated with dupilumab – or more – may develop conjunctivitis. Researchers studying dupilumab in asthma have not seen this side effect, she said, so it may be unique to AD. “It’s something that’s real,” she said, noting that it’s not clear if it’s viral, allergic, or bacterial. Researchers are exploring the use of the drug in children, she added.
Dr. Stein Gold said there are other drugs in development for AD, but she cautioned that “the field is crowded ... and not all of them are going to make it.”
Drugs in development for AD include nemolizumab (a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits interleukin-31 signaling), upadacitinib (a JAK1 selective inhibitor), baricitinib (an oral JAK1/2 inhibitor), and topical tapinarof (an agonist of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor).
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
Dr. Stein Gold disclosed relationships with Galderma, Valeant, Ranbaxy, Promius, Actavis, Roche, Dermira, Medimetriks, Pfizer, Sanofi/Regeneron, Otsuka, and Taro.
LAS VEGAS – Recent research has provided a rare triple whammy in the world of atopic dermatitis (AD). Over the last few years, Linda F. Stein Gold, MD, said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar.
AD affects an estimated 7% of adults in the United States and 13% of children under aged 18 years, according to the National Eczema Association. An estimated one-third of the affected children (3.2 million) have moderate to severe disease.
New information about AD includes more information pinpointing the genetic link. Dr. Stein Gold, director of clinical research in the department of dermatology at the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, pointed out that about 70% of patients with AD have a family history of atopic conditions.
Mutations in filaggrin appear to play a role in the development of AD, but a significant proportion of people with AD do not have evidence of filaggrin mutations and about 40% of people with defects never develop AD, she noted.
Emollients may be key to preventing AD. To explore the theory that defects on the skin barrier “might be key initiators of atopic dermatitis and possibly allergic sensitization,” investigators conducted a randomized controlled study of 124 babies at risk of AD in the United States and United Kingdom; parents of 55 babies applied emollients to their whole bodies from shortly after birth until 6 months while a control group used nothing (J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014 Oct; 134[4]:818-23).
At 6 months, those in the emollient group were half as likely to have developed AD (relative risk, 0.50; P = .017).
Bleach baths have received attention on the AD prevention front. Dr. Stein Gold pointed to a 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis of five studies that found both bleach and water baths reduced AD severity. Bleach baths were effective but not more so than water baths (Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017 Nov;119[5]:435-40). Also, there was no difference in skin infections or colonization with Staphylococcus aureus between the two.
So are water baths just as good as bleach baths? “I’m not 100% sure I buy into this,” Dr. Stein Gold said. “I’m still a bleach bath believer.”
Topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs) can be used as a “proactive,” steroid-sparing treatment to prevent relapses in AD, research suggests. For this purpose, the recommended maintenance dosage is two to three applications per week on areas that tend to flare; the TCI drugs can be used in conjunction with topical corticosteroids (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014 Jul;71[1]:116-32).
TCIs come with boxed warning because of concerns about such cancers as lymphoma. But recent research has not found a higher risk of lymphoma in patients with AD who are treated with the medication. “We’ve had these drugs for a long time, and they do appear to be safe,” Dr. Stein Gold said.
She referred to a 2015 review of 21 studies of almost 6,000 pediatric patients with AD who were treated with a TCI, which concluded that the drugs are safe and efficacious over the long term (Pediatric Allergy Immunol. 2015 Jun;26[4]:306-15).
“Everyone wants to know which ones are better,” Dr. Stein Gold said in regard to TCIs. But there aren’t head-to-head studies, she said, and it’s difficult to compare the available data on response rates between certain topical treatments because the studies are designed differently.
For example, with crisaborole (Eucrisa), the topical phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor approved in 2016 for mild to moderate AD in patients aged 2 years and up, clear/almost clear rates are 49%-52%, compared with 30%-40% with placebo, a 10%-20% difference. Rates with OPA-15406, an investigational topical selective PDE4 inhibitor, and with the TCI pimecrolimus (Elidel cream 1%) have been about 20% higher than with controls, but studies are designed differently, and the results cannot be compared, according to Dr. Stein Gold.
Dupilumab (Dupixent), a monoclonal antibody that inhibits signaling of both interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, approved in 2017 for adults with moderate to severe AD, has been a “game changer” for this population, Dr. Stein Gold said. “It looks like this drug has a good, durable effect,” she added (Lancet. 2017 Jun 10;389[10086]:2287-303).
However, she cautioned that up to 10% of patients treated with dupilumab – or more – may develop conjunctivitis. Researchers studying dupilumab in asthma have not seen this side effect, she said, so it may be unique to AD. “It’s something that’s real,” she said, noting that it’s not clear if it’s viral, allergic, or bacterial. Researchers are exploring the use of the drug in children, she added.
Dr. Stein Gold said there are other drugs in development for AD, but she cautioned that “the field is crowded ... and not all of them are going to make it.”
Drugs in development for AD include nemolizumab (a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits interleukin-31 signaling), upadacitinib (a JAK1 selective inhibitor), baricitinib (an oral JAK1/2 inhibitor), and topical tapinarof (an agonist of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor).
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
Dr. Stein Gold disclosed relationships with Galderma, Valeant, Ranbaxy, Promius, Actavis, Roche, Dermira, Medimetriks, Pfizer, Sanofi/Regeneron, Otsuka, and Taro.
REPORTING FROM SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
Investigational agent VT-1161 looks promising for onychomycosis
LAS VEGAS – An investigational oral therapy for onychomycosis could be on the horizon as a new treatment option.
VT-1161 is a cytochrome P51 (CYP51) inhibitor with potent in vitro activity against several species of tinea and yeast, David M. Pariser, MD, said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. It is highly selective for fungal CYP51 over human cytochrome P enzymes.
Dr. Pariser served as an . Patients enrolled were aged 18-70 years, with a mean age of 49. Most were men (80%) and white (85%), as is typical in trials for onychomycosis drugs, noted Dr. Pariser, professor of dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.
Distal subungual onychomycosis was evident in 25%-75% of the nail, and patients needed 2 mm of clear nail to be included in the trial. Disease was confirmed by positive KOH staining and culture.
Patients were randomized into four active treatment groups; a fifth received placebo. All active treatment groups were started on 14 days of a daily loading dose of VT-1161, with one arm getting 300 mg per day and one getting 600 mg per day.
After the loading dose, two groups were treated for 12 weeks with VT-1161 (weekly doses of 300 mg and 600 mg); two other groups had treatment extended out to 24 weeks.
Few patients, roughly 20% in each treatment arm, had achieved the primary endpoint, a complete cure (0% nail involvement and negative KOH stain and culture) at the end of active treatment, Dr. Pariser said.
“I personally think that all of these onychomycosis studies should be carried out for longer than a year, up to 2 years, even if you were able to get rid of all the fungus, because that’s how long it’s going to take for the nail to grow out, especially in older patients with slower nail growth,” Dr. Pariser said.
At 48 weeks, approximately 40% of patients in each active treatment arm achieved complete cure, Dr. Pariser noted. “The results indicated that there was not a lot of difference in outcomes based on the dose the patient received.”
About 60%-70% of treated patients sustained mycologic cure of onychomycosis at 60 weeks.
No serious drug-related adverse events were seen in the study, and no patients dropped out because of lab abnormalities, including liver function tests. Other adverse events were rare and occurred equally in the treatment and placebo arms and consisted of dermatitis, headache, and cough. Nausea, cough, and dysgeusia each occurred in 2% of patients and could have been related to the study drug, Dr. Pariser said.
Looking at both mycologic and complete cure rates of available onychomycosis treatments, the results from the RENOVATE trial are comparable to approved systemic therapies, and superior to topicals, he said.
Dr. Pariser disclosed serving as an investigator for pharmaceutical manufactures Viamet (maker of VT-1161), Valeant, and Ancor/Pharmaderm.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
[email protected]
LAS VEGAS – An investigational oral therapy for onychomycosis could be on the horizon as a new treatment option.
VT-1161 is a cytochrome P51 (CYP51) inhibitor with potent in vitro activity against several species of tinea and yeast, David M. Pariser, MD, said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. It is highly selective for fungal CYP51 over human cytochrome P enzymes.
Dr. Pariser served as an . Patients enrolled were aged 18-70 years, with a mean age of 49. Most were men (80%) and white (85%), as is typical in trials for onychomycosis drugs, noted Dr. Pariser, professor of dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.
Distal subungual onychomycosis was evident in 25%-75% of the nail, and patients needed 2 mm of clear nail to be included in the trial. Disease was confirmed by positive KOH staining and culture.
Patients were randomized into four active treatment groups; a fifth received placebo. All active treatment groups were started on 14 days of a daily loading dose of VT-1161, with one arm getting 300 mg per day and one getting 600 mg per day.
After the loading dose, two groups were treated for 12 weeks with VT-1161 (weekly doses of 300 mg and 600 mg); two other groups had treatment extended out to 24 weeks.
Few patients, roughly 20% in each treatment arm, had achieved the primary endpoint, a complete cure (0% nail involvement and negative KOH stain and culture) at the end of active treatment, Dr. Pariser said.
“I personally think that all of these onychomycosis studies should be carried out for longer than a year, up to 2 years, even if you were able to get rid of all the fungus, because that’s how long it’s going to take for the nail to grow out, especially in older patients with slower nail growth,” Dr. Pariser said.
At 48 weeks, approximately 40% of patients in each active treatment arm achieved complete cure, Dr. Pariser noted. “The results indicated that there was not a lot of difference in outcomes based on the dose the patient received.”
About 60%-70% of treated patients sustained mycologic cure of onychomycosis at 60 weeks.
No serious drug-related adverse events were seen in the study, and no patients dropped out because of lab abnormalities, including liver function tests. Other adverse events were rare and occurred equally in the treatment and placebo arms and consisted of dermatitis, headache, and cough. Nausea, cough, and dysgeusia each occurred in 2% of patients and could have been related to the study drug, Dr. Pariser said.
Looking at both mycologic and complete cure rates of available onychomycosis treatments, the results from the RENOVATE trial are comparable to approved systemic therapies, and superior to topicals, he said.
Dr. Pariser disclosed serving as an investigator for pharmaceutical manufactures Viamet (maker of VT-1161), Valeant, and Ancor/Pharmaderm.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
[email protected]
LAS VEGAS – An investigational oral therapy for onychomycosis could be on the horizon as a new treatment option.
VT-1161 is a cytochrome P51 (CYP51) inhibitor with potent in vitro activity against several species of tinea and yeast, David M. Pariser, MD, said at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. It is highly selective for fungal CYP51 over human cytochrome P enzymes.
Dr. Pariser served as an . Patients enrolled were aged 18-70 years, with a mean age of 49. Most were men (80%) and white (85%), as is typical in trials for onychomycosis drugs, noted Dr. Pariser, professor of dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.
Distal subungual onychomycosis was evident in 25%-75% of the nail, and patients needed 2 mm of clear nail to be included in the trial. Disease was confirmed by positive KOH staining and culture.
Patients were randomized into four active treatment groups; a fifth received placebo. All active treatment groups were started on 14 days of a daily loading dose of VT-1161, with one arm getting 300 mg per day and one getting 600 mg per day.
After the loading dose, two groups were treated for 12 weeks with VT-1161 (weekly doses of 300 mg and 600 mg); two other groups had treatment extended out to 24 weeks.
Few patients, roughly 20% in each treatment arm, had achieved the primary endpoint, a complete cure (0% nail involvement and negative KOH stain and culture) at the end of active treatment, Dr. Pariser said.
“I personally think that all of these onychomycosis studies should be carried out for longer than a year, up to 2 years, even if you were able to get rid of all the fungus, because that’s how long it’s going to take for the nail to grow out, especially in older patients with slower nail growth,” Dr. Pariser said.
At 48 weeks, approximately 40% of patients in each active treatment arm achieved complete cure, Dr. Pariser noted. “The results indicated that there was not a lot of difference in outcomes based on the dose the patient received.”
About 60%-70% of treated patients sustained mycologic cure of onychomycosis at 60 weeks.
No serious drug-related adverse events were seen in the study, and no patients dropped out because of lab abnormalities, including liver function tests. Other adverse events were rare and occurred equally in the treatment and placebo arms and consisted of dermatitis, headache, and cough. Nausea, cough, and dysgeusia each occurred in 2% of patients and could have been related to the study drug, Dr. Pariser said.
Looking at both mycologic and complete cure rates of available onychomycosis treatments, the results from the RENOVATE trial are comparable to approved systemic therapies, and superior to topicals, he said.
Dr. Pariser disclosed serving as an investigator for pharmaceutical manufactures Viamet (maker of VT-1161), Valeant, and Ancor/Pharmaderm.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
[email protected]
REPORTING FROM SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
Questions, documentation, and lab tests are crucial in alopecia areata
LAS VEGAS – according to Maria Hordinsky, MD, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
Other important steps in the work-up of a patient include extensive documentation of AA – including use of the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score or photography – and laboratory testing, Dr. Hordinsky said at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar.
AA affects an estimated 1.7%-2.1% of the population and is sporadic in 50%-80% of cases. AA targets follicles in the anagen phase, which makes up 90% of hair follicles and normally lasts for 2-7 years. The condition has been linked to vitiligo, thyroid disease, and atopy (allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis). AA has also been linked to autoimmune disorders, such as lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. In addition, Dr. Hordinsky said, genetic research has linked alopecia to the latter three conditions.
It’s important to ask how much the hair loss bothers the patient, regardless of his or her age, Dr. Hordinsky said. “You need to figure out what’s making them all anxious and depressed. Is it shedding hair every single day?” she said. “Figure out what bothers that patient and go after that issue after you’ve answered his or her questions.”
In some cases, she said, “patients who’ve had extensive disease for a very long time are really coming in for a social visit to talk about what’s new, what’s emerging, whether they’d be interested in participating in a clinical trial.”
Dr. Hordinsky provided this list of questions to help in evaluating these patients:
- Is scalp hair loss the biggest problem? Eyebrow loss? Eyelash loss? Nail issues? All of these?
- How bothersome is it to experience hair shedding every day? Does this make the patient depressed and anxious?
Dr. Hordinsky added that asking patients about the following topics can also be appropriate:
- Hair care habits. Is the patient no longer shampooing because of hair loss?
- Medications.
- Symptoms, such as pain, itch, and burning.
- Body hair. Does the patient feel there’s too little or too much?
- Nail abnormalities.
- Menstrual cycle and pregnancies.
- Diet and supplements.
- Family history. Patients – who are often very curious about the disease – often mention relatives when they hear about a genetic role in AA, she said. They’ll say “My aunt has rheumatoid arthritis” or “My cousin has autoimmune disease.”
- Excess androgen levels and autoimmune/endocrine diseases.
The patient examination should include documentation of the presence of vellus hair or indeterminate and terminal fibers; the presence or absence of scale, erythema, folliculitis, and atrophy; eyebrow, eyelash, or body hair loss; and nail damage, such as pitting.
Photography and/or the SALT score may be used for documentation, she said. The SALT score is the only standardized method of assessment for AA, she said. The score is produced by a calculation that takes into account the amount of hair loss in the quadrants (right, left, front, back) of the scalp (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Sep;79[3]:470-478.e3).
Laboratory tests are important, but there is no standard list, Dr. Hordinsky said. They are selected based on history and physical examination and can include thyroid function studies; heme and iron profiles, including serum ferritin and hemoglobin; and measurements of vitamin D, thiamine, zinc, and total protein. “We check nutrition labs particularly if a patient has been taking a lot of supplements, and we’re not sure where we’re at,” Dr. Hordinsky said.
Dermatologists may also order tests to measure non-cycle dependent hormones such as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), total/free testosterone, and antinuclear antibodies and other autoantibodies.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
Dr. Hordinsky disclosed consulting work with Procter & Gamble, Concert, and Cassiopea and grant/research support from Aclaris, National Alopecia Areata Foundation, Allergan.
LAS VEGAS – according to Maria Hordinsky, MD, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
Other important steps in the work-up of a patient include extensive documentation of AA – including use of the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score or photography – and laboratory testing, Dr. Hordinsky said at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar.
AA affects an estimated 1.7%-2.1% of the population and is sporadic in 50%-80% of cases. AA targets follicles in the anagen phase, which makes up 90% of hair follicles and normally lasts for 2-7 years. The condition has been linked to vitiligo, thyroid disease, and atopy (allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis). AA has also been linked to autoimmune disorders, such as lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. In addition, Dr. Hordinsky said, genetic research has linked alopecia to the latter three conditions.
It’s important to ask how much the hair loss bothers the patient, regardless of his or her age, Dr. Hordinsky said. “You need to figure out what’s making them all anxious and depressed. Is it shedding hair every single day?” she said. “Figure out what bothers that patient and go after that issue after you’ve answered his or her questions.”
In some cases, she said, “patients who’ve had extensive disease for a very long time are really coming in for a social visit to talk about what’s new, what’s emerging, whether they’d be interested in participating in a clinical trial.”
Dr. Hordinsky provided this list of questions to help in evaluating these patients:
- Is scalp hair loss the biggest problem? Eyebrow loss? Eyelash loss? Nail issues? All of these?
- How bothersome is it to experience hair shedding every day? Does this make the patient depressed and anxious?
Dr. Hordinsky added that asking patients about the following topics can also be appropriate:
- Hair care habits. Is the patient no longer shampooing because of hair loss?
- Medications.
- Symptoms, such as pain, itch, and burning.
- Body hair. Does the patient feel there’s too little or too much?
- Nail abnormalities.
- Menstrual cycle and pregnancies.
- Diet and supplements.
- Family history. Patients – who are often very curious about the disease – often mention relatives when they hear about a genetic role in AA, she said. They’ll say “My aunt has rheumatoid arthritis” or “My cousin has autoimmune disease.”
- Excess androgen levels and autoimmune/endocrine diseases.
The patient examination should include documentation of the presence of vellus hair or indeterminate and terminal fibers; the presence or absence of scale, erythema, folliculitis, and atrophy; eyebrow, eyelash, or body hair loss; and nail damage, such as pitting.
Photography and/or the SALT score may be used for documentation, she said. The SALT score is the only standardized method of assessment for AA, she said. The score is produced by a calculation that takes into account the amount of hair loss in the quadrants (right, left, front, back) of the scalp (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Sep;79[3]:470-478.e3).
Laboratory tests are important, but there is no standard list, Dr. Hordinsky said. They are selected based on history and physical examination and can include thyroid function studies; heme and iron profiles, including serum ferritin and hemoglobin; and measurements of vitamin D, thiamine, zinc, and total protein. “We check nutrition labs particularly if a patient has been taking a lot of supplements, and we’re not sure where we’re at,” Dr. Hordinsky said.
Dermatologists may also order tests to measure non-cycle dependent hormones such as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), total/free testosterone, and antinuclear antibodies and other autoantibodies.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
Dr. Hordinsky disclosed consulting work with Procter & Gamble, Concert, and Cassiopea and grant/research support from Aclaris, National Alopecia Areata Foundation, Allergan.
LAS VEGAS – according to Maria Hordinsky, MD, professor and chair of the department of dermatology at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
Other important steps in the work-up of a patient include extensive documentation of AA – including use of the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score or photography – and laboratory testing, Dr. Hordinsky said at the Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar.
AA affects an estimated 1.7%-2.1% of the population and is sporadic in 50%-80% of cases. AA targets follicles in the anagen phase, which makes up 90% of hair follicles and normally lasts for 2-7 years. The condition has been linked to vitiligo, thyroid disease, and atopy (allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis). AA has also been linked to autoimmune disorders, such as lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. In addition, Dr. Hordinsky said, genetic research has linked alopecia to the latter three conditions.
It’s important to ask how much the hair loss bothers the patient, regardless of his or her age, Dr. Hordinsky said. “You need to figure out what’s making them all anxious and depressed. Is it shedding hair every single day?” she said. “Figure out what bothers that patient and go after that issue after you’ve answered his or her questions.”
In some cases, she said, “patients who’ve had extensive disease for a very long time are really coming in for a social visit to talk about what’s new, what’s emerging, whether they’d be interested in participating in a clinical trial.”
Dr. Hordinsky provided this list of questions to help in evaluating these patients:
- Is scalp hair loss the biggest problem? Eyebrow loss? Eyelash loss? Nail issues? All of these?
- How bothersome is it to experience hair shedding every day? Does this make the patient depressed and anxious?
Dr. Hordinsky added that asking patients about the following topics can also be appropriate:
- Hair care habits. Is the patient no longer shampooing because of hair loss?
- Medications.
- Symptoms, such as pain, itch, and burning.
- Body hair. Does the patient feel there’s too little or too much?
- Nail abnormalities.
- Menstrual cycle and pregnancies.
- Diet and supplements.
- Family history. Patients – who are often very curious about the disease – often mention relatives when they hear about a genetic role in AA, she said. They’ll say “My aunt has rheumatoid arthritis” or “My cousin has autoimmune disease.”
- Excess androgen levels and autoimmune/endocrine diseases.
The patient examination should include documentation of the presence of vellus hair or indeterminate and terminal fibers; the presence or absence of scale, erythema, folliculitis, and atrophy; eyebrow, eyelash, or body hair loss; and nail damage, such as pitting.
Photography and/or the SALT score may be used for documentation, she said. The SALT score is the only standardized method of assessment for AA, she said. The score is produced by a calculation that takes into account the amount of hair loss in the quadrants (right, left, front, back) of the scalp (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Sep;79[3]:470-478.e3).
Laboratory tests are important, but there is no standard list, Dr. Hordinsky said. They are selected based on history and physical examination and can include thyroid function studies; heme and iron profiles, including serum ferritin and hemoglobin; and measurements of vitamin D, thiamine, zinc, and total protein. “We check nutrition labs particularly if a patient has been taking a lot of supplements, and we’re not sure where we’re at,” Dr. Hordinsky said.
Dermatologists may also order tests to measure non-cycle dependent hormones such as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), total/free testosterone, and antinuclear antibodies and other autoantibodies.
SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
Dr. Hordinsky disclosed consulting work with Procter & Gamble, Concert, and Cassiopea and grant/research support from Aclaris, National Alopecia Areata Foundation, Allergan.
EXPERT ANALYSIS FROM SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR
Over one-third of psoriasis patients have PsA
Over one-third of psoriasis patients have PsA
About two-thirds of patients with psoriasis in a national registry also had psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and/or psoriasis in at least one challenging-to-treat (CTT) area, and one-quarter had both, according to Kristina Callis Duffin, MD, of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, and her associates.
Their analysis included 2,042 psoriasis patients who were enrolled in the Corrona Psoriasis Registry between April 2015 and May 2018 and initiated biologic treatment during that time. The mean age was 49.6 years, 80% of the patients were white, and 51% were obese. Mean disease duration was 19.9 years and 89.2% of the patients had moderate to severe disease. CTT areas include the scalp, nails, and palmoplantar areas.
A total of 784 people in the cohort (38.4%) had PsA, 778 (38.1%) had scalp psoriasis, 326 (16.0%) had nail psoriasis, 223 (10.9%) had palmoplantar psoriasis, and 535 (26.2%) had both PsA and psoriasis in at least two CTT areas. The most common combinations were PsA plus scalp psoriasis and PsA plus nail and scalp psoriasis.
“These results indicate a need to further characterize patients with psoriasis who have PsA and CTT areas and evaluate the impact of these factors to better understand their treatment needs,” the investigators noted.
The Corrona registry has been supported by numerous pharmaceutical companies, and the study authors reported numerous financial relationships with industry; two authors are Novartis employees.
Secukinumab effective for slowing radiographic progression in active PsA
Treatment with secukinumab significantly reduced radiographic progression in patients with active PsA, according to Désirée van der Heijde, MD, PhD, professor of rheumatology at Leiden University Medical Center, and her associates.
The results come from an analysis of the FUTURE 5 trial, a study of 996 patients with active PsA despite previous NSAID treatment, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug treatment, or anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. Patients were randomized to receive 300 mg subcutaneous secukinumab with loading dose, 150 mg secukinumab with loading dose, 150 mg secukinumab without loading dose, or placebo, at baseline; weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4; then every 4 weeks.
After 24 weeks, the mean change in van der Heijde–modified Total Sharp Score for PsA was 0.08 for the 300-mg secukinumab group (P less than .01), 0.17 for the 150-mg secukinumab with loading dose group (P less than .05), a reduction of 0.09 for the 150-mg secukinumab without loading dose group (P less than .01), and 0.50 for the placebo group. Lower radiographic progression was seen regardless of prior anti-TNF or concomitant methotrexate treatment.
The study was funded by Novartis. The study authors reported financial disclosures with numerous companies; five authors are Novartis employees.
Tildrakizumab sustains efficacy in plaque psoriasis treatment after 1 year
Nearly all patients receiving the interleukin-23 inhibitor tildrakizumab for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis maintained or improved their Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) response rate after 52 weeks of treatment, compared with their response after 28 weeks.
The analysis, conducted by Boni E. Elewski, MD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and her associates, included 352 patients who received 100 mg tildrakizumab and 313 who received 200 mg tildrakizumab. Treatment was received at baseline, at 4 weeks, and then every 12 weeks afterward.
At week 28, the proportions of patients achieving PASI 100, PASI 90-99, PASI 75-89, and PASI 50-74 at week 28 were 25.9%, 38.4%, 25.3%, and 10.5%, respectively, among those treated with the 100-mg dose. The proportions were 24.6%, 24.3%, 19.5%, and 31.6%, respectively, among those treated with the 200-mg dose.
In patients who achieved at least PASI 90 on either dose at week 28, 88.9%-89.4% maintained that response at week 52. For patients with PASI 75-89, 39.3%-40.4% maintained that response and 33.7%-41.0% achieved a PASI 90 response. At week 52, in patients with PASI 50-74, 20.2%-29.7% achieved at least a PASI 90, 52.5%-64.9% achieved PASI 75, and only 2.6% of patients on either dose had fallen below PASI 50.
Four study authors reported being clinical investigators on studies sponsored by Merck and Sun Pharmaceuticals; five authors are employees of Sun Pharmaceuticals.
Halobetasol/tazarotene combination most effective for plaque psoriasis treatment
A fixed combination of halobetasol propionate 0.01% and tazarotene 0.045% lotion provided a synergistic effect over either component on its own for the treatment of plaque psoriasis, according to Leon H. Kircik, MD, of Indiana University, Indianapolis, and his associates.
The investigators performed a post hoc analysis of 212 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis randomized to receive either the halobetasol/tazarotene combination, halobetasol only, tazarotene only, or vehicle only for 8 weeks, with follow-up at 12 weeks. Treatment success was based on the proportion of patients who achieved at least a 2-grade improvement in the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) score, IGA scores of “clear” or “almost clear,” and percent change from baseline in IGA multiplied by Body Surface Area (BSA) composite score (IGAxBSA). “Synergy was calculated by summing up the contribution of the individual active ingredients (HP and TAZ) to overall efficacy and comparing to the efficacy achieved with HP/TAZ lotion relative to vehicle,” the authors explained.
Relative to vehicle, treatment success for halobetasol/tazarotene after 8 weeks was 42.8%, 23.6% for halobetasol alone, and 9.0% for tazarotene alone. After 12 weeks, the difference was 31.3%, 14.1%, and 5.9%, respectively. The percent change in IGAxBSA scores from baseline after 8 weeks, relative to vehicle, were 51.6%, 37.3%, and 3.3%, respectively. After 12 weeks, the change was 47.3%, 25.7%, and 8.6%, respectively.
After 8 weeks, the synergy ratio for treatment success and IGAxBSA scores for the halobetasol/tazarotene combination was 1.3. After 12 weeks, the synergy ratio for treatment success was 1.6 and the ratio for IGAxBSA scores was 1.4.
“By combining two agents into one once-daily formulation, this novel formulation reduces the number of product applications and may help patient adherence,” the study authors noted.
Dr. Kircik reported serving as a consultant and investigator for Valeant Pharmaceuticals. One study author is an employee of Bausch Health and Ortho Dermatologics, and another is an employee of Dow Pharmaceutical Sciences (a division of Valeant).
Brodalumab demonstrates low immunogenicity in moderate to severe psoriasis
The immunogenicity of brodalumab in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis was low and did not compromise the efficacy or safety profile of the drug, according to Kristian Reich, MD, of Dermatologikum Berlin and SCIderm Research Institute in Hamburg, Germany, and his associates.
Data from a 12-week, phase 2 trial with a 352-week, open-label extension and three 52-week phase 3 trials were included in the analysis. Antidrug antibodies (ADAs) were tested, and positive samples were further analyzed for neutralizing ADAs by a cell-based assay.
Out of the 4,461 patients who received brodalumab, 122 (2.7%) were positive for ADAs after starting brodalumab. The incidence rate ranged from 1.9% to 3.4% between all dosing groups (140 mg, 210 mg, variable dosing, and 210 mg of brodalumab after ustekinumab). In 58 (1.4%) of patients, ADAs were transient. No patients had neutralizing ADAs, and no evidence of altered pharmacokinetics, loss of efficacy, or changes in the safety profile of brodalumab in subjects positive for ADAs was seen.
No significant difference was seen in the incidence rate of hypersensitivity or injection site reactions in brodalumab, compared with placebo or ustekinumab. The most common injection site reactions were injection site pain, erythema, and bruising.
The study was supported by Amgen. The study authors reported numerous disclosures. Two authors are employees of Leo Pharma, one author is a former employee of the company.
Secukinumab improves patient-reported outcomes in CTT psoriasis
Treatment with secukinumab significantly improved patient-reported outcomes such as fatigue, itch, pain, and quality of life measures in patients with CTT psoriasis after 6 months, according to Jerry Bagel, MD, of the Psoriasis Treatment Center of Central New Jersey, East Windsor, and his associates.
A total of 68 patients with psoriasis localized to at least one CTT area who were enrolled in the Corrona Psoriasis Registry from April 15, 2015, through May 10, 2018, and were receiving secukinumab for the entirety of the 6-month study period were included in the analysis. Patient-reported outcomes included in the analysis were fatigue, itch, pain, Dermatology Quality of Life Index (DLQI) score, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) scale.
The mean age at enrollment was 51.2 years and almost 80% of patients were white. Mean psoriasis duration was 21.8 years and nearly half had PsA.
Visual analog scale scores improved over baseline for fatigue (mean, 23.2 vs. 33.2; P = .01), itch (20.9 vs. 49.6; P less than .0001), and pain (12.1 vs. 33.8; P less than .0001). DLQI scores also improved (2.9 vs. 8.1; P less than .0001), and the proportion of patients who reported that psoriasis had at least a moderate effect on their life was reduced after 6 months (22.1% vs. 59.7%; P less than .0001).
Based on WPAI results, patients experienced significant improvements in the percentage of daily activities impaired (mean, 9.5% vs 17.5%; P = .0075); of the 42 patients who were employed, both impairment percentage (3.7% vs. 11.2%; P = .0148) and percentage of work hours affected (4.9% vs. 11.9%; P = .0486) were reduced from baseline.
“These results are consistent with previous reports from secukinumab clinical trials; however, additional real-world studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of secukinumab for improving [patient-reported outcomes] in patients with psoriasis in CTT areas,” the authors noted.
The Corrona registry has been supported by numerous pharmaceutical companies, and several study authors reported various disclosures with industry. Two authors are Novartis employees. The study was supported by Novartis; the company participated in the interpretation of data and review and approval of the abstract.
These posters were presented at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
Over one-third of psoriasis patients have PsA
About two-thirds of patients with psoriasis in a national registry also had psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and/or psoriasis in at least one challenging-to-treat (CTT) area, and one-quarter had both, according to Kristina Callis Duffin, MD, of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, and her associates.
Their analysis included 2,042 psoriasis patients who were enrolled in the Corrona Psoriasis Registry between April 2015 and May 2018 and initiated biologic treatment during that time. The mean age was 49.6 years, 80% of the patients were white, and 51% were obese. Mean disease duration was 19.9 years and 89.2% of the patients had moderate to severe disease. CTT areas include the scalp, nails, and palmoplantar areas.
A total of 784 people in the cohort (38.4%) had PsA, 778 (38.1%) had scalp psoriasis, 326 (16.0%) had nail psoriasis, 223 (10.9%) had palmoplantar psoriasis, and 535 (26.2%) had both PsA and psoriasis in at least two CTT areas. The most common combinations were PsA plus scalp psoriasis and PsA plus nail and scalp psoriasis.
“These results indicate a need to further characterize patients with psoriasis who have PsA and CTT areas and evaluate the impact of these factors to better understand their treatment needs,” the investigators noted.
The Corrona registry has been supported by numerous pharmaceutical companies, and the study authors reported numerous financial relationships with industry; two authors are Novartis employees.
Secukinumab effective for slowing radiographic progression in active PsA
Treatment with secukinumab significantly reduced radiographic progression in patients with active PsA, according to Désirée van der Heijde, MD, PhD, professor of rheumatology at Leiden University Medical Center, and her associates.
The results come from an analysis of the FUTURE 5 trial, a study of 996 patients with active PsA despite previous NSAID treatment, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug treatment, or anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. Patients were randomized to receive 300 mg subcutaneous secukinumab with loading dose, 150 mg secukinumab with loading dose, 150 mg secukinumab without loading dose, or placebo, at baseline; weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4; then every 4 weeks.
After 24 weeks, the mean change in van der Heijde–modified Total Sharp Score for PsA was 0.08 for the 300-mg secukinumab group (P less than .01), 0.17 for the 150-mg secukinumab with loading dose group (P less than .05), a reduction of 0.09 for the 150-mg secukinumab without loading dose group (P less than .01), and 0.50 for the placebo group. Lower radiographic progression was seen regardless of prior anti-TNF or concomitant methotrexate treatment.
The study was funded by Novartis. The study authors reported financial disclosures with numerous companies; five authors are Novartis employees.
Tildrakizumab sustains efficacy in plaque psoriasis treatment after 1 year
Nearly all patients receiving the interleukin-23 inhibitor tildrakizumab for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis maintained or improved their Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) response rate after 52 weeks of treatment, compared with their response after 28 weeks.
The analysis, conducted by Boni E. Elewski, MD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and her associates, included 352 patients who received 100 mg tildrakizumab and 313 who received 200 mg tildrakizumab. Treatment was received at baseline, at 4 weeks, and then every 12 weeks afterward.
At week 28, the proportions of patients achieving PASI 100, PASI 90-99, PASI 75-89, and PASI 50-74 at week 28 were 25.9%, 38.4%, 25.3%, and 10.5%, respectively, among those treated with the 100-mg dose. The proportions were 24.6%, 24.3%, 19.5%, and 31.6%, respectively, among those treated with the 200-mg dose.
In patients who achieved at least PASI 90 on either dose at week 28, 88.9%-89.4% maintained that response at week 52. For patients with PASI 75-89, 39.3%-40.4% maintained that response and 33.7%-41.0% achieved a PASI 90 response. At week 52, in patients with PASI 50-74, 20.2%-29.7% achieved at least a PASI 90, 52.5%-64.9% achieved PASI 75, and only 2.6% of patients on either dose had fallen below PASI 50.
Four study authors reported being clinical investigators on studies sponsored by Merck and Sun Pharmaceuticals; five authors are employees of Sun Pharmaceuticals.
Halobetasol/tazarotene combination most effective for plaque psoriasis treatment
A fixed combination of halobetasol propionate 0.01% and tazarotene 0.045% lotion provided a synergistic effect over either component on its own for the treatment of plaque psoriasis, according to Leon H. Kircik, MD, of Indiana University, Indianapolis, and his associates.
The investigators performed a post hoc analysis of 212 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis randomized to receive either the halobetasol/tazarotene combination, halobetasol only, tazarotene only, or vehicle only for 8 weeks, with follow-up at 12 weeks. Treatment success was based on the proportion of patients who achieved at least a 2-grade improvement in the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) score, IGA scores of “clear” or “almost clear,” and percent change from baseline in IGA multiplied by Body Surface Area (BSA) composite score (IGAxBSA). “Synergy was calculated by summing up the contribution of the individual active ingredients (HP and TAZ) to overall efficacy and comparing to the efficacy achieved with HP/TAZ lotion relative to vehicle,” the authors explained.
Relative to vehicle, treatment success for halobetasol/tazarotene after 8 weeks was 42.8%, 23.6% for halobetasol alone, and 9.0% for tazarotene alone. After 12 weeks, the difference was 31.3%, 14.1%, and 5.9%, respectively. The percent change in IGAxBSA scores from baseline after 8 weeks, relative to vehicle, were 51.6%, 37.3%, and 3.3%, respectively. After 12 weeks, the change was 47.3%, 25.7%, and 8.6%, respectively.
After 8 weeks, the synergy ratio for treatment success and IGAxBSA scores for the halobetasol/tazarotene combination was 1.3. After 12 weeks, the synergy ratio for treatment success was 1.6 and the ratio for IGAxBSA scores was 1.4.
“By combining two agents into one once-daily formulation, this novel formulation reduces the number of product applications and may help patient adherence,” the study authors noted.
Dr. Kircik reported serving as a consultant and investigator for Valeant Pharmaceuticals. One study author is an employee of Bausch Health and Ortho Dermatologics, and another is an employee of Dow Pharmaceutical Sciences (a division of Valeant).
Brodalumab demonstrates low immunogenicity in moderate to severe psoriasis
The immunogenicity of brodalumab in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis was low and did not compromise the efficacy or safety profile of the drug, according to Kristian Reich, MD, of Dermatologikum Berlin and SCIderm Research Institute in Hamburg, Germany, and his associates.
Data from a 12-week, phase 2 trial with a 352-week, open-label extension and three 52-week phase 3 trials were included in the analysis. Antidrug antibodies (ADAs) were tested, and positive samples were further analyzed for neutralizing ADAs by a cell-based assay.
Out of the 4,461 patients who received brodalumab, 122 (2.7%) were positive for ADAs after starting brodalumab. The incidence rate ranged from 1.9% to 3.4% between all dosing groups (140 mg, 210 mg, variable dosing, and 210 mg of brodalumab after ustekinumab). In 58 (1.4%) of patients, ADAs were transient. No patients had neutralizing ADAs, and no evidence of altered pharmacokinetics, loss of efficacy, or changes in the safety profile of brodalumab in subjects positive for ADAs was seen.
No significant difference was seen in the incidence rate of hypersensitivity or injection site reactions in brodalumab, compared with placebo or ustekinumab. The most common injection site reactions were injection site pain, erythema, and bruising.
The study was supported by Amgen. The study authors reported numerous disclosures. Two authors are employees of Leo Pharma, one author is a former employee of the company.
Secukinumab improves patient-reported outcomes in CTT psoriasis
Treatment with secukinumab significantly improved patient-reported outcomes such as fatigue, itch, pain, and quality of life measures in patients with CTT psoriasis after 6 months, according to Jerry Bagel, MD, of the Psoriasis Treatment Center of Central New Jersey, East Windsor, and his associates.
A total of 68 patients with psoriasis localized to at least one CTT area who were enrolled in the Corrona Psoriasis Registry from April 15, 2015, through May 10, 2018, and were receiving secukinumab for the entirety of the 6-month study period were included in the analysis. Patient-reported outcomes included in the analysis were fatigue, itch, pain, Dermatology Quality of Life Index (DLQI) score, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) scale.
The mean age at enrollment was 51.2 years and almost 80% of patients were white. Mean psoriasis duration was 21.8 years and nearly half had PsA.
Visual analog scale scores improved over baseline for fatigue (mean, 23.2 vs. 33.2; P = .01), itch (20.9 vs. 49.6; P less than .0001), and pain (12.1 vs. 33.8; P less than .0001). DLQI scores also improved (2.9 vs. 8.1; P less than .0001), and the proportion of patients who reported that psoriasis had at least a moderate effect on their life was reduced after 6 months (22.1% vs. 59.7%; P less than .0001).
Based on WPAI results, patients experienced significant improvements in the percentage of daily activities impaired (mean, 9.5% vs 17.5%; P = .0075); of the 42 patients who were employed, both impairment percentage (3.7% vs. 11.2%; P = .0148) and percentage of work hours affected (4.9% vs. 11.9%; P = .0486) were reduced from baseline.
“These results are consistent with previous reports from secukinumab clinical trials; however, additional real-world studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of secukinumab for improving [patient-reported outcomes] in patients with psoriasis in CTT areas,” the authors noted.
The Corrona registry has been supported by numerous pharmaceutical companies, and several study authors reported various disclosures with industry. Two authors are Novartis employees. The study was supported by Novartis; the company participated in the interpretation of data and review and approval of the abstract.
These posters were presented at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
Over one-third of psoriasis patients have PsA
About two-thirds of patients with psoriasis in a national registry also had psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and/or psoriasis in at least one challenging-to-treat (CTT) area, and one-quarter had both, according to Kristina Callis Duffin, MD, of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, and her associates.
Their analysis included 2,042 psoriasis patients who were enrolled in the Corrona Psoriasis Registry between April 2015 and May 2018 and initiated biologic treatment during that time. The mean age was 49.6 years, 80% of the patients were white, and 51% were obese. Mean disease duration was 19.9 years and 89.2% of the patients had moderate to severe disease. CTT areas include the scalp, nails, and palmoplantar areas.
A total of 784 people in the cohort (38.4%) had PsA, 778 (38.1%) had scalp psoriasis, 326 (16.0%) had nail psoriasis, 223 (10.9%) had palmoplantar psoriasis, and 535 (26.2%) had both PsA and psoriasis in at least two CTT areas. The most common combinations were PsA plus scalp psoriasis and PsA plus nail and scalp psoriasis.
“These results indicate a need to further characterize patients with psoriasis who have PsA and CTT areas and evaluate the impact of these factors to better understand their treatment needs,” the investigators noted.
The Corrona registry has been supported by numerous pharmaceutical companies, and the study authors reported numerous financial relationships with industry; two authors are Novartis employees.
Secukinumab effective for slowing radiographic progression in active PsA
Treatment with secukinumab significantly reduced radiographic progression in patients with active PsA, according to Désirée van der Heijde, MD, PhD, professor of rheumatology at Leiden University Medical Center, and her associates.
The results come from an analysis of the FUTURE 5 trial, a study of 996 patients with active PsA despite previous NSAID treatment, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug treatment, or anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. Patients were randomized to receive 300 mg subcutaneous secukinumab with loading dose, 150 mg secukinumab with loading dose, 150 mg secukinumab without loading dose, or placebo, at baseline; weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4; then every 4 weeks.
After 24 weeks, the mean change in van der Heijde–modified Total Sharp Score for PsA was 0.08 for the 300-mg secukinumab group (P less than .01), 0.17 for the 150-mg secukinumab with loading dose group (P less than .05), a reduction of 0.09 for the 150-mg secukinumab without loading dose group (P less than .01), and 0.50 for the placebo group. Lower radiographic progression was seen regardless of prior anti-TNF or concomitant methotrexate treatment.
The study was funded by Novartis. The study authors reported financial disclosures with numerous companies; five authors are Novartis employees.
Tildrakizumab sustains efficacy in plaque psoriasis treatment after 1 year
Nearly all patients receiving the interleukin-23 inhibitor tildrakizumab for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis maintained or improved their Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) response rate after 52 weeks of treatment, compared with their response after 28 weeks.
The analysis, conducted by Boni E. Elewski, MD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and her associates, included 352 patients who received 100 mg tildrakizumab and 313 who received 200 mg tildrakizumab. Treatment was received at baseline, at 4 weeks, and then every 12 weeks afterward.
At week 28, the proportions of patients achieving PASI 100, PASI 90-99, PASI 75-89, and PASI 50-74 at week 28 were 25.9%, 38.4%, 25.3%, and 10.5%, respectively, among those treated with the 100-mg dose. The proportions were 24.6%, 24.3%, 19.5%, and 31.6%, respectively, among those treated with the 200-mg dose.
In patients who achieved at least PASI 90 on either dose at week 28, 88.9%-89.4% maintained that response at week 52. For patients with PASI 75-89, 39.3%-40.4% maintained that response and 33.7%-41.0% achieved a PASI 90 response. At week 52, in patients with PASI 50-74, 20.2%-29.7% achieved at least a PASI 90, 52.5%-64.9% achieved PASI 75, and only 2.6% of patients on either dose had fallen below PASI 50.
Four study authors reported being clinical investigators on studies sponsored by Merck and Sun Pharmaceuticals; five authors are employees of Sun Pharmaceuticals.
Halobetasol/tazarotene combination most effective for plaque psoriasis treatment
A fixed combination of halobetasol propionate 0.01% and tazarotene 0.045% lotion provided a synergistic effect over either component on its own for the treatment of plaque psoriasis, according to Leon H. Kircik, MD, of Indiana University, Indianapolis, and his associates.
The investigators performed a post hoc analysis of 212 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis randomized to receive either the halobetasol/tazarotene combination, halobetasol only, tazarotene only, or vehicle only for 8 weeks, with follow-up at 12 weeks. Treatment success was based on the proportion of patients who achieved at least a 2-grade improvement in the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) score, IGA scores of “clear” or “almost clear,” and percent change from baseline in IGA multiplied by Body Surface Area (BSA) composite score (IGAxBSA). “Synergy was calculated by summing up the contribution of the individual active ingredients (HP and TAZ) to overall efficacy and comparing to the efficacy achieved with HP/TAZ lotion relative to vehicle,” the authors explained.
Relative to vehicle, treatment success for halobetasol/tazarotene after 8 weeks was 42.8%, 23.6% for halobetasol alone, and 9.0% for tazarotene alone. After 12 weeks, the difference was 31.3%, 14.1%, and 5.9%, respectively. The percent change in IGAxBSA scores from baseline after 8 weeks, relative to vehicle, were 51.6%, 37.3%, and 3.3%, respectively. After 12 weeks, the change was 47.3%, 25.7%, and 8.6%, respectively.
After 8 weeks, the synergy ratio for treatment success and IGAxBSA scores for the halobetasol/tazarotene combination was 1.3. After 12 weeks, the synergy ratio for treatment success was 1.6 and the ratio for IGAxBSA scores was 1.4.
“By combining two agents into one once-daily formulation, this novel formulation reduces the number of product applications and may help patient adherence,” the study authors noted.
Dr. Kircik reported serving as a consultant and investigator for Valeant Pharmaceuticals. One study author is an employee of Bausch Health and Ortho Dermatologics, and another is an employee of Dow Pharmaceutical Sciences (a division of Valeant).
Brodalumab demonstrates low immunogenicity in moderate to severe psoriasis
The immunogenicity of brodalumab in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis was low and did not compromise the efficacy or safety profile of the drug, according to Kristian Reich, MD, of Dermatologikum Berlin and SCIderm Research Institute in Hamburg, Germany, and his associates.
Data from a 12-week, phase 2 trial with a 352-week, open-label extension and three 52-week phase 3 trials were included in the analysis. Antidrug antibodies (ADAs) were tested, and positive samples were further analyzed for neutralizing ADAs by a cell-based assay.
Out of the 4,461 patients who received brodalumab, 122 (2.7%) were positive for ADAs after starting brodalumab. The incidence rate ranged from 1.9% to 3.4% between all dosing groups (140 mg, 210 mg, variable dosing, and 210 mg of brodalumab after ustekinumab). In 58 (1.4%) of patients, ADAs were transient. No patients had neutralizing ADAs, and no evidence of altered pharmacokinetics, loss of efficacy, or changes in the safety profile of brodalumab in subjects positive for ADAs was seen.
No significant difference was seen in the incidence rate of hypersensitivity or injection site reactions in brodalumab, compared with placebo or ustekinumab. The most common injection site reactions were injection site pain, erythema, and bruising.
The study was supported by Amgen. The study authors reported numerous disclosures. Two authors are employees of Leo Pharma, one author is a former employee of the company.
Secukinumab improves patient-reported outcomes in CTT psoriasis
Treatment with secukinumab significantly improved patient-reported outcomes such as fatigue, itch, pain, and quality of life measures in patients with CTT psoriasis after 6 months, according to Jerry Bagel, MD, of the Psoriasis Treatment Center of Central New Jersey, East Windsor, and his associates.
A total of 68 patients with psoriasis localized to at least one CTT area who were enrolled in the Corrona Psoriasis Registry from April 15, 2015, through May 10, 2018, and were receiving secukinumab for the entirety of the 6-month study period were included in the analysis. Patient-reported outcomes included in the analysis were fatigue, itch, pain, Dermatology Quality of Life Index (DLQI) score, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) scale.
The mean age at enrollment was 51.2 years and almost 80% of patients were white. Mean psoriasis duration was 21.8 years and nearly half had PsA.
Visual analog scale scores improved over baseline for fatigue (mean, 23.2 vs. 33.2; P = .01), itch (20.9 vs. 49.6; P less than .0001), and pain (12.1 vs. 33.8; P less than .0001). DLQI scores also improved (2.9 vs. 8.1; P less than .0001), and the proportion of patients who reported that psoriasis had at least a moderate effect on their life was reduced after 6 months (22.1% vs. 59.7%; P less than .0001).
Based on WPAI results, patients experienced significant improvements in the percentage of daily activities impaired (mean, 9.5% vs 17.5%; P = .0075); of the 42 patients who were employed, both impairment percentage (3.7% vs. 11.2%; P = .0148) and percentage of work hours affected (4.9% vs. 11.9%; P = .0486) were reduced from baseline.
“These results are consistent with previous reports from secukinumab clinical trials; however, additional real-world studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of secukinumab for improving [patient-reported outcomes] in patients with psoriasis in CTT areas,” the authors noted.
The Corrona registry has been supported by numerous pharmaceutical companies, and several study authors reported various disclosures with industry. Two authors are Novartis employees. The study was supported by Novartis; the company participated in the interpretation of data and review and approval of the abstract.
These posters were presented at Skin Disease Education Foundation’s annual Las Vegas Dermatology Seminar. SDEF and this news organization are owned by the same parent company.
FROM SDEF LAS VEGAS DERMATOLOGY SEMINAR