[Biologic therapies different from the anti-TNFα therapy in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis].

Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are common conditions in the clinical practice of both dermatologists and rheumatologists. Both entities may cause an important loss in quality of life, and in the case of PsA, joint structural damage may arise over time. For these reasons, clinicians may be faced with the need for treating these cases with highly effective therapies, such as TNFα blocking agents, although these drugs may be paradoxically related with de novo onset (or exacerbation of previous lesions) of psoriasis or psoriasiform lesions.

Critical appraisal of pharmacoeconomic studies comparing TNF-alpha antagonists for rheumatoid arthritis treatment.

Clinical trials and economic models have showed that anti-TNF agents are effective and cost effective compared with standard therapies (mainly disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, no head-to-head clinical trials between these agents are available and the relative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness is uncertain. We have conducted a literature review in order to identify full economic evaluations that compared two or more TNF antagonists.