title: Topical treatment habits in psoriasis patients receiving adalimumab.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biologics are used increasingly to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Here the topical treatment habits (corticosteroids and vitamin D derivates) and moisturizer use of 97 Swiss patients (male 65, female 32) receiving adalimumab have been evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a short cross-sectional survey the pharmacist asked patients during telephone contact about their topical treatment habits and psoriasis activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  47 patients with adalimumab monotherapy were still free of psoriatic lesions after a longer follow-up of 13 months of therapy; 8 of them still used topical treatment. In contrast, 38 of 50 patients with remaining lesions used topicals. More than 75% of patients indicated that the perceived efficacy of additional topical therapy was ≥5 on a visual analog scale (0-10). The use of moisturizers did not correlate with disease activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topical treatment use by adalimumab patients is associated with remaining disease activity. 83% of patients without residual plaques (40% of all adalimumab patients) are able to stop topical treatment completely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A G A
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kolios
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rusca
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reisenbauer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cozzio
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Navarini
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012176:Retinoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D012176:Retinoids; D000068879:Adalimumab