title: The psoriatic patient profile for infliximab.
abstract: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting 2-3% of the population worldwide. Psoriasis results from a complex and dynamic interplay between genetic and environmental factors that trigger an excessive inflammatory response in the skin which is driven by several mediators including TNF-alpha. The common form of the disease, termed 'chronic plaque psoriasis' is characterized by erythematous scaly plaques, typically on elbows, knees, scalp and buttocks. Psoriasis does not only affect the skin but also the nails and sometimes it is associated to a form of negative spondyloarthropathy, named the psoriatic arthritis (PsA), which could affect joints, tendons and/or the bone. Moreover, psoriasis is also frequently associated to metabolic comorbidities including obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes and non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Consequently, psoriasis causes a high degree of morbidity and impairment of quality of life. There is no definite cure for psoriasis although there are treatments which could induce its remission. During the past decade, new very selective biological therapies for the management of psoriasis have been licensed. Biological drugs include TNF-alpha inhibitors (etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab) and ustekinumab which is an anti-IL 2/23 monoclonal antibody. Infliximab is very effective in the treatment of psoriasis either with nail involvement and/or PsA. Considering the characteristics of this drug, we propose a specific profile of the patient candidate to infliximab treatment. In particular, the main patient characteristics which drive the physician in selecting infliximab include the presence of a severe chronic plaque psoriasis, particularly if it is associated to a severe nail involvement and/or PsA, the urgency of psoriasis clearing, poor compliance of the patient for self-medication and the prospective of a long term continuous treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Section of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. paolo.gisondi@univr.it
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gisondi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ardigò
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D018579:Patient Selection; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab