Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Primary Failure Predicts Decreased Ustekinumab Efficacy in Psoriasis Patients.

Background: Additional studies are needed to examine the efficacy of ustekinumab in psoriasis patients who have previously been exposed to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi).

Objective: To examine the predictive effect of TNFi primary failure and the number of TNFi exposures on the efficacy of ustekinumab in psoriasis treatment.

Methods: This retrospective study examined 44 psoriasis patients treated at the Tufts Medical Center Department of Dermatology between January 2008 and July 2014.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in children with psoriatic disease.

Adults with psoriasis have a greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but few studies have investigated the prevalence of MetS and other risk factors for CVD in children with psoriasis. In an assessor-blinded study, 20 children ages 9-17 years with a current or previously documented history of psoriasis involving 5% or more of their body surface area or psoriatic arthritis were compared with a cohort of age- and sex-matched controls with benign nevi, warts, or acne. MetS, our primary endpoint, was defined by the presence of abnormal values in at least three of the following measures: triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting blood glucose (FBG), waist circumference, and blood pressure.

A phase 2, open-label, investigator-initiated study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of apremilast in subjects with recalcitrant allergic contact or atopic dermatitis.

Objective: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of apremilast, a novel phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor, in subjects with recalcitrant moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) or allergic contact dermatitis (ACD).

Research Design And Methods: This was a proof-of-concept, phase 2, open-label, single institution trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of apremilast, 20 mg twice daily, for twelve weeks, in ten subjects with either AD and/or ACD. The primary endpoint was a ?2 point improvement in Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) score after 12 weeks of treatment.

Investigator-initiated, open-label trial of ustekinumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe palmoplantar psoriasis.

Background: Palmoplantar psoriasis is a variant of psoriasis resistant to many forms of treatment.

Methods: Twenty subjects with moderate-to-severe psoriasis of the palms and soles, 50% with pustules at baseline, were treated with ustekinumab at weeks 0, 4, and 16. All subjects had previously failed topical corticosteroids.

Assessor-blinded study of the metabolic syndrome and surrogate markers of increased cardiovascular risk in children with moderate-to-severe psoriasis compared with age-matched population of children with warts.

Adult patients with psoriasis have an increased prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors due to elevations of Tumor Necrosis Factor and other inflammatory cytokines.1,2 Recently, higher rates of hyperlipidemia, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were seen in patients with juvenile psoriasis.3 Here, we report the interim results of an ongoing study of MetS and CVD risk factors in pediatric psoriasis patients.