title: Long-term response to etanercept monotherapy in moderate to severe psoriasis: assessment in daily practice by the maintenance of low values of PASI and BSA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Efficacy and safety profiles of etanercept have been proved in numerous clinical trials; however, efficacy is determined by means of PASI 75 and few studies consider the maintenance of long-term response. The aims of this study were to provide data on long-term response to etanercept monotherapy in daily practice and to propose a method to assess the efficacy based on the maintenance of low PASI and BSA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with moderate-severe psoriasis treated with etanercept 50 mg weekly, achieving at least PASI 50 at 12 weeks, were included. Response was expressed as the percentage of patients maintaining PASI and BSA ≤5 and ≤3, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 76 patients (73.7% male and 26.3% female). PASI remained ≤5 in 71.1%, 61.3%, 54.4%, 38.3%, 8.6% and 5.9% of patients and ≤3 in 51.3%, 46.8%, 42.1%, 34%, 8.6% and 5.9% at 3, 12, 18, 24, 36 and 42 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The maximum response is achieved between 6 and 9 months and remains stable in about 50% of cases until 18-24 months. Response maintains beyond 42 months in 6%. Maintenance of low PASI and BSA may be a most useful measure than the initial PASI reduction, which not always means enough improvement for the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of La Coruña , Coruna , Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa María
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fernández-Torres
authors.forename: Sabela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paradela
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fonseca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D060046:Maintenance Chemotherapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000068800:Etanercept