Infliximab monotherapy for refractory psoriasis: preliminary results

Area of Science:

• Immunodermatology
• Rheumatology
• Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

• Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is implicated in psoriasis pathogenesis.
• Infliximab, an anti-TNF-alpha antibody, is approved for rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease.
• Previous studies suggest infliximab efficacy in psoriatic disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of infliximab monotherapy.
• To assess treatment outcomes in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthropathy.
• To determine the effectiveness in patients refractory to conventional treatments.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 29 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, 14 with psoriatic arthropathy.
• Intravenous infliximab (5mg/kg) administered at weeks 0, 2, and 6.
• Monthly follow-up with single-dose retreatment upon relapse; Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and symptom scales used for assessment.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in skin lesions and subjective symptoms observed in most patients.
• Excellent PASI score reduction (>=75%) achieved by 13.8% at week 2, 71.4% at week 6, and 78.6% at week 10.
• Skin lesions showed sustained improvement; treatment was well-tolerated with no serious adverse events.

Conclusions:

• Infliximab monotherapy is an effective treatment option for moderate to severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthropathy.
• The drug demonstrates good tolerability and potential for sustained efficacy, even in patients resistant to conventional therapies.
• Further research may explore long-term outcomes and optimal retreatment strategies.