title: Incidence of new-onset and flare of preexisting psoriasis during rituximab therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: data from the French AIR registry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Psoriasis could be a paradoxical reaction to tumor necrosis factor-α antagonist therapy and it has been reported with rituximab therapy. Our objective was to assess the rates of new-onset and flare of preexisting psoriasis in patients taking rituximab for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The nationwide multicenter prospective AutoImmunity and Rituximab (AIR) registry was set up in 2006 by the French Society for Rheumatology to collect data on patients taking rituximab for joint diseases. We identified patients with RA in the registry who had psoriasis listed as an adverse drug reaction, and we obtained additional information from their physicians if needed. We computed the incidence rates of new-onset and flare of preexisting psoriasis according to the rituximab exposure time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 1927 patients in the registry with RA, 2 had new-onset and 5 had flare of preexisting psoriasis after a median followup of 39.2 weeks. Incidence rates were 1.04/1000 person-years (95% CI 0.13 to 3.8) for new-onset psoriasis and 2.6/1000 person-years (95% CI 0.84 to 6.1) for flare of preexisting psoriasis. Rituximab rechallenge in the 2 new-onset cases and in 2 flare cases was not followed by recurrence or exacerbation of psoriasis. Two of the 5 flare cases developed after discontinuation of methotrexate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the small number of cases observed, leading to wide CI, the incidence rates in our study do not support a causative role of rituximab therapy in new-onset or flare of preexisting psoriasis in patients with RA.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacovigilance Center, Chenevier-Mondor Hospital, AP-HP, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Canoui-Poitrine
authors.forename: Jacques-Eric
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Gottenberg
authors.forename: Andra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Economu-Dubosc
authors.forename: Fatiha
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Medkour
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chevalier
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bastuji-Garin
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Le Louët
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Farrenq
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Claudepierre
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab