Transition from methotrexate and cyclosporine to other therapies including retinoids, ultraviolet light and biologic agents in the management of patients with psoriasis.
Patients with psoriasis typically face longterm therapy for their chronic disease. Often, the therapeutic agents that physicians use to treat them may become less effective or may cause safety or toxicity issues. The clinician must then decide the next therapy for his/her patient and assess benefit/risk of the next therapeutic agent or combination. In moving the patient from one therapy to the next, specific characteristics of the transition must be assessed, and how to stop the existing therapy, and introduce the new agent(s). The decision making process must take into account the longterm risks to the patient. This article focuses on the transition for patients with psoriasis being managed with methotrexate and cyclosporine to retinoids, phototherapy, and newer agents.
Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1 Gustave Levy Place, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA.
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Maryles
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Rozenblit
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Lebwohl
D017255:Acitretin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005050:Etretinate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000628:therapy*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D005050:Etretinate; D016572:Cyclosporine; D017255:Acitretin; D008727:Methotrexate