title: Ustekinumab in nail psoriasis: an open-label, uncontrolled, nonrandomized study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ustekinumab has been most recently approved for psoriasis treatment and its efficacy on nail psoriasis is still underreported.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients suffering from moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis with nail involvement were enrolled in this open-label, uncontrolled, nonrandomized study to evaluate the therapeutic potential of ustekinumab. Participants were scheduled to receive subcutaneous injections of ustekinumab at a dose of 45 mg at baseline and week 4 and every 12 weeks thereafter. Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) and psoriasis area severity index (PASI) were assessed apart from baseline at weeks 16, 28, and 40.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NAPSI median score significantly decreased from 73.0 (range: 12.0-151.0) at baseline to 37.0 (range: 7.0-92.0) at week 16, to 9.0 (range: 0.0-32.0) at week 28, and to 0.0 (range: 0.0-12.0) at week 40. Median PASI score decreased from 23.9 (range: 10.6-45.5) at baseline to 0.0 (range: 0.0-5.2) at week 40. NAPSI median improvement was of 42.5% (range: 21.9-64.9%) at week 16, 86.3% (range: 75.0-100.0%) at week 28, and 100.0% (range: 91.0-100.0%) at week 40. PASI score showed a significant median improvement of 76.9% (range: 10.3-90.3%) and 100.0% (range: 71.7-100.0%), at weeks 16 and 40, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this study may be considered as preliminary, data suggest that ustekinumab is very effective in nail psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Dermatology Department, Aristotle University School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patsatsi
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kyriakou
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sotiriadis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D009262:Nails; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000069549:Ustekinumab; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D000069549:Ustekinumab