title: A multicenter open-label experience on the response of psoriasis to Adalimumab and effect of dose escalation in non-responders: the Aphrodite project.
abstract: There is much evidence to show the efficacy of adalimumab, a human monoclonal antibody targeting tumour necrosis factor-alpha, in the treatment of plaque psoriasis. In this open-label experience, 147 high-need patients suffering from plaque psoriasis, with a mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) of 18.8, and concomitant psoriatic arthritis (PsA) received subcutaneous injections of 40 mg of adalimumab every other week (EOW). This was actually the dosage regimen recommended for PsA, as the drug had not then been approved for psoriasis at the time of the patients enrolment. At week 12, an improvement of at least 50 percent of the PASI (PASI-50) was observed in 111 (77 percent) patients. Continuation of treatment in responders with adalimumab 40 mg EOW led to a sustained response, with the PASI-50 achieved by 97 percent of patients in the as-treated analysis at week 24 (PASI-75 in 82 percent and PASI-90 in 45 percent out of 109 patients who received EOW injections up to week 24). Thirty subjects who failed to attain the PASI-50 response at week 12 were treated with adalimumab 40 mg every week for a further 12 weeks. At week 24, 80 percent of these patients obtained a PASI-50 response after dose escalation. Tolerability was good in the majority of patients. Only two patients discontinued treatment because of an adverse event (repeated flu-like episodes and a pleuropericarditis of unknown origin, respectively).
authors.affiliation: 2nd Dermatology Clinic, University of Bari, Italy. g.vena@dermatologia.uniba.it
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Vena
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galluccio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Simone
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mastrandrea
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buquicchio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Greca
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dattola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puglisi Guerra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Donato
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cantoresi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: De Pità
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pezza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D Agostino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vernaci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miracapillo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cassano
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068879:Adalimumab