title: Efficacy and safety of subcutaneous anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha agents, etanercept and adalimumab, in elderly patients affected by psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: an observational long-term study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In elderly patients the management of psoriasis is challenging due to contraindications and a higher risk of side effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our retrospective study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety profile of subcutaneous anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents in elderly psoriatic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 89 patients (aged ≥65 years) with plaque-type psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis treated with the subcutaneous anti-TNF-α agents etanercept or adalimumab as monotherapy for a long-term continuous period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Efficacy results were consistent and stable over long-term observation, as expressed by mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score variation, percentage of patients achieving PASI50 and PASI75 and by the improvement of articular indices, pain visual analogue scale (Pain-VAS) and 44-Joint Disease Activity Score (DAS44-ESR). The proportion of patients achieving PASI50 was 91.80 and 82.14% at week 156 with etanercept and adalimumab treatment, respectively, while the proportion of patients achieving PASI75 was 83.61 and 71.43% at week 156 when treated with etanercept and adalimumab, respectively. The mean DAS44-ESR score decreased from 5.80 to 0.89 and from 3.43 to 1.44 at week 156 and the mean Pain-VAS score decreased from 75.10 to 3.15 and from 71.30 to 18.26 at week 156 with etanercept and adalimumab treatment, respectively. Both treatment adherence and safety profile were good.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates that subcutaneous anti-TNF-α agents are appropriate in the long-term management of elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy. espositomaria @ virgilio.it
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giunta
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazzotta
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zangrilli
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Babino
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bavetta
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perricone
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chimenti
authors.forename: Maria Sole
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chimenti
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept