title: Clinical, ultrasound, and videodermatoscopy monitoring of psoriatic patients following biological treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Effective non-invasive techniques to monitor plaque psoriasis progression and treatment are desirable. The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in vascular pattern using videodermatoscopy (VD) and in skin thickness by ultrasound (US), along with clinical observation, during treatment with biologicals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treated with adalimumab, etanercept, or ustekinumab were evaluated. Following the identification of a 'target' plaque at baseline, lesion changes were monitored at 15, 30 and 60 days by clinical observation using a Target Lesion Score (TLS), and by VD and US.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 60 days, a significant improvement in all three parameters was observed. In adalimumab-treated patients mean values of TLS, VD, and US were reduced by 83.9%, 73.5%, and 90%, respectively; in etanercept-treated patients by 67.9%, 49.7%, and 79.3%; in ustekinumab-treated patients by 80.9%, 66.4%, and 80.1%. Skin thickness was the first parameter to improve. Vascular improvement was slower compared to clinical and US responses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VD and US may be useful to monitor psoriasis treatment. Further investigations are warranted to assess if the persistence of an altered vascular pattern despite clinical and US normalization, as observed in 22% of patients, may influence disease progression and/or correlate with rate and severity degree of relapse.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Micali
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lacarrubba
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santagati
authors.affiliation: Primula Multimedia SRL, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nasca
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Musumeci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001688:Biological Products / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001688:Biological Products
keywords: biologicals; dermoscopy; psoriasis; ultrasound; videocapillaroscopy; videodermatoscopy