title: Effectiveness and safety of cyclosporine in pediatric plaque psoriasis: A multicentric retrospective analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cyclosporine (CysA) is effective for psoriasis in adult patients but little data exist about its efficacy and safety in childhood and adolescence psoriasis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness and safety of CysA for childhood and adolescence psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of a group of children and adolescents (age < 17 years) with plaque psoriasis treated with CysA at several Italian dermatology clinics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study population consisted of 38 patients. The median age at the start of treatment was 12.3 years. Therapy duration varied from one to 36 months. The median maintenance dosage per day was 3.2 mg/kg (range 2-5 mg/kg). Fifteen patients (39,4%) achieved a complete clearance or a good improvement of their psoriasis defined by an improvement from baseline of  ≥75% in the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) at week 16. Eight patients (21.05%) discontinued the treatment due to laboratory anomalies or adverse events. Serious events were not recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this case series, CysA was effective and well-tolerated treatment in a significant quote of children. CysA, when carefully monitored, may represent a therapeutic alternative to the currently used systemic immunosuppressive agents for severe childhood psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: a Dermatology Unit , Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova IRCCS , Reggio Emilia , Italy .
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Lernia
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medicine , Section of Clinical, Allergological and Venereological Dermatology, University of Perugia , Perugia , Italy .
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stingeni
authors.affiliation: c Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Section of Dermatology, Parma University Hospital , Parma , Italy .
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Boccaletti
authors.affiliation: d Department of Dermatology , University of Brescia , Brescia , Italy .
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Calzavara Pinton
authors.affiliation: e Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Section of Dermatology, University of Messina , Messina , Italy .
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guarneri
authors.affiliation: f Department of Medicine , Pediatric Dermatology Unit, University of Padua , Padua , Italy .
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belloni Fortina
authors.affiliation: g Department of Dermatology , University of Turin , Turin , Italy .
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Panzone
authors.affiliation: h Department of Medical Sciences , Section of Dermatology, University of Ferrara , Ferrara , Italy .
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corazza
authors.affiliation: i Department of Specialistic , Diagnostic and Experimental Medicine, Dermatology Unit, University of Bologna, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital , Bologna , Italy .
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.affiliation: j UOC Dermatologia Pediatrica, Ospedale Maggiore, Policlinic of Milan , Milan , Italy .
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cambiaghi
authors.affiliation: k Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Dermatology Unit , University of Modena , Modena , Italy , and.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lasagni
authors.affiliation: a Dermatology Unit , Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova IRCCS , Reggio Emilia , Italy .
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ficarelli
authors.affiliation: l Department of Medicine , Section of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gisondi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine
keywords: Psoriasis; childhood; cyclosporine; therapy; treatment