BACKGROUND: Knowledge on the sequential treatment of psoriasis with biologics with regard to efficacy and safety is sparse. This also applies to the efficacy and safety of adalimumab in patients previously treated with etanercept. The relationship between the reasons for discontinuation of etanercept and the response to adalimumab is not clear in psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adalimumab in patients with psoriasis with primary failure, secondary failure or ...

BACKGROUND: Methotrexate (MTX) use is associated with hepatic fibrosis in psoriasis patients. To monitor this serial liver biopsies were performed. The Fibroscan and the Fibrotest are two novel, non-invasive methods that might be able to assess MTX-induced hepatic fibrosis.

AIM: Evaluating the accuracy and feasibility of the Fibroscan and Fibrotest to detect significant MTX-induced liver fibrosis in psoriasis patients.

METHODS: We assessed 24 psoriasis patients who had a recent liver ...

Several reports have indicated that the combination of calcipotriol ointment and potent or ultrapotent corticosteroids are more effective and better tolerated, as compared to the monotherapies. The aim of the present study was to find out the effect of combination of calcipotriol ointment once daily and betamethasone dipropionate ointment once daily vs. the effect of twice-daily applications of each of the two treatments as monotherapy during a four-week treatment period. Seven patients ...

BACKGROUND: An influx of immunocytes, increased epidermal proliferation and abnormal keratinization are hallmarks of the psoriatic lesion. T-lymphocyte subsets in particular activated effector memory T cells and natural killer (NK) T cells have been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES: In the present study we investigated the number of T-cell subsets (CD4, CD8, CD45RO, CD45RA, CD2, CD25), cells expressing NK receptors (CD94 and CD161), the ...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the extent antibodies to adalimumab are formed in patients with plaque psoriasis and whether these antibodies have clinical consequences. Also, to examine the relationship between antibodies to adalimumab and adalimumab trough titers.

DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study.

SETTING: Two Dutch dermatology departments in university hospitals.

PATIENTS: All consecutive patients starting a regimen of adalimumab for chronic plaque psoriasis. Patients were ...

BACKGROUND: Juvenile psoriasis is a chronic and incurable skin disease that affects approximately 0·7% of children.

OBJECTIVES: To achieve more insight into the quality of life (QoL) in childhood psoriasis and to investigate whether disease severity scores correlate with QoL scores.

METHODS: All consecutive patients with juvenile plaque psoriasis (≤ 18 years old) who visited our outpatient department were included. At baseline, the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) ...

BACKGROUND: For some high-need psoriatic patients, the efficacy of etanercept monotherapy is insufficient. In these cases it might be indicated to combine etanercept with other conventional treatments. Objectives To provide daily practice safety and efficacy data for etanercept and methotrexate combination therapy.

METHODS: Data were extracted from an existing database, which contains prospective safety and efficacy data of all patients who were treated with etanercept in clinical ...

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases can have a great influence on health-related quality of life. Nevertheless, only little research has been carried out on childhood psoriasis. The perception of quality of life by adults with psoriasis of their childhood psoriasis has never been investigated.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to (i) investigate retrospectively the influence of psoriasis as experienced in childhood as compared with the current quality of life in adulthood; (ii) assess ...

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT: Infliximab is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease (both adult and paediatric), ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis and national and international guidelines have been developed for each indication.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: This study is the first study which compared current international, national and local guidelines from the medical specialties involved in the treatment ...

BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of 2005, etanercept and efalizumab are officially registered and reimbursed for the treatment of recalcitrant psoriasis in The Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: The evaluation of the efficacy, safety and adverse events of etanercept and efalizumab treatment in daily practice.

METHODS: A prospective cohort study was carried out for patients treated with etanercept or efalizumab between February 2005 and March 2006.

RESULTS: Over the past 13 months 45 individuals were ...

IMPORTANCE: Adalimumab has proven to be effective in suppressing psoriasis disease activity and is administered in a standard dose.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a therapeutic range for adalimumab trough levels in the treatment of plaque-type psoriasis, leading to a more personalized treatment.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A multicenter, prospective, observational, daily practice cohort study conducted at an academic hospital with affiliated secondary care hospitals in Belgium (cohort 1) ...

The peripheral changes in the uninvolved skin adjacent to the extending psoriatic lesions may represent early events. The sequence of these events remains controversial. In the present study we evaluated epidermal and dermal aspects of the margin of the progressive psoriatic plaque, the distant uninvolved skin and normal healthy skin, using immunohistochemistry with markers for keratinization, proliferation and connective tissue: filaggrin, involucrin, Ki-67 and tenascin. The results ...

BACKGROUND: Although costs of biologics are high, effective treatment of patients with psoriasis may reduce the total health care costs, as it may limit the need for hospitalization.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the economic impact of psoriasis, including direct costs, before and after the introduction of biologics, with special focus on hospitalized patients, treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction with medication.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A descriptive retrospective cohort study ...

BACKGROUND: The course of biological treatment in clinical practice may be highly different from treatment schedules in clinical trials. Treatment modifications and patient characteristics may influence treatment safety and efficacy. So far, long-term results from the use of biological treatment in clinical practice are lacking.

OBJECTIVES: To report short- and long-term efficacy and safety data on biologics, especially etanercept, used in daily clinical practice. Special attention has ...