Treatment Patterns and Pharmacoutilization in Patients Affected by Psoriasis: An Observational Study in an Italian Real-World Setting.

Background: Real-world data can inform the use of biologics for psoriasis (PSO).

Objective: The aim was to evaluate treatment patterns and analyze pharmacoutilization in PSO patients in a real-world Italian setting, with a focus on the biologics most recently introduced.

Methods: An observational study based on administrative databases was conducted.

Number needed to treat for interleukin inhibitors approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in Italy.

Background: Interleukin (IL) inhibitors achieve greater levels of efficacy than older systemic therapies. We calculated the number needed to treat (NNT) of ixekizumab compared with other IL inhibitors approved in Italy for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Methods: The clinical efficacy was evaluated in terms of NNT, based on the results of a recent network meta--analysis (NMA) by the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Clinical predictors of nonresponse to anti-TNF-α agents in psoriatic patients: A retrospective study.

Although the heterogeneity of the therapeutic response to TNF-α blockers seems to be mainly due to genetic factors, several studies showed that a range of factors may influence it. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of patients' demographic and clinical characteristics on primary response to an anti-TNF-α therapy in psoriatic patients. We retrospectively examined the relationship between various clinical and demographic features and response to treatment with etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab, evaluated as PASI75 and average PASI improvement at weeks 12, 16, and 14, respectively.

Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer in psoriatic patients treated with high-dose phototherapy.

Objectives: The carcinogenic effect of plus ultraviolet A (PUVA)-therapy in psoriatic patients has been widely demonstrated, while data on the safety of narrow band (311 nm) ultraviolet B (nb-UVB) are scarce. We investigated the occurrence of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in psoriatic patients treated with nb-UVB or PUVA-therapy.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients affected by psoriasis, who had been treated with nb-UVB or PUVA-therapy.

Management of recurrent cutaneous abscesses during therapy with infliximab.

Background: Infliximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody, belonging to the class of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) agents, approved for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Drugs of this class are known to be associated with an infective risk, probably because they interfere with inflammatory and immune response at different levels. Although cutaneous Staphylococcus aureus infections seem to be more frequent than any other infection in the course of anti-TNF-α treatment, only a few case reports in the literature deal with this side effect, and, in particular, with its management.