title: Clinical improvement and satisfaction with biologic therapy in patients with severe plaque psoriasis: results of a European cross-sectional observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Efficacy of biologic therapies for psoriasis has been demonstrated in randomized trials, but effectiveness in real-world settings has yet to be fully determined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare clinical improvement and treatment satisfaction with biologic versus other therapies in patients with plaque psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  European dermatologists recruited psoriasis patients into an observational study. Dermatologists reported disease severity before and after starting current therapy; dermatologists and patients reported treatment satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These analyses included 2151 patients: topicals, n = 453; phototherapy, n = 666; conventional systemics, n = 683; biologics, n = 349. The percentage with severe disease declined from 70% before to 15% after biologics, a significantly greater decline than other therapies: topicals, 22-10%; phototherapy, 20-11%; conventional systemics, 49-15% (all p ≤ 0.03). Significantly more patients (59%) receiving biologics were satisfied with treatment versus topicals (45%), phototherapy (34%), or conventional systemics (50%) (all p < 0.001). Significantly more dermatologists were satisfied with biologics (60%) versus topicals (35%), phototherapy (26%), or conventional systemics (42%) (all p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, more patients receiving biologic therapies improved from severe to moderate or mild psoriasis than patients on other treatments. More patients with plaque psoriasis and their dermatologists were satisfied with biologics than any other treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Enno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Christophers
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Segaert
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milligan
authors.forename: Charles T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Molta
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boggs
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D001688:Biological Products / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010789:Phototherapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products