title: Safety evaluation of apremilast for the treatment of psoriasis.
abstract: Psoriasis (PSo) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with co-morbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome. It is a typothypical Th1/Th17 disease that affects from 2 to 3% of the world population. Numerous are the drugs that can be used in our clinical practice; the choice of these drugs depends on the characteristics of the patient. Areas covered: Apremilast is the first oral small molecules to receive FDA approval for the treatment of adults with active psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. It is a small-molecule that specifically inhibits the activity of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4). Several analyses have been performed on data from phase III studies to assess apremilast safety and efficacy on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Apremilast could also represent a treatment opportunity for those patients unresponsive to both systemic and biological agents or whose treatment was contraindicated. Expert opinion: For its safety profile and easy route of administration, apremilast may offer an oral treatment option for those patients that discontinue treatments because of ineffectiveness, intolerability or ineligibility to the currently available drugs.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dattola
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Del Duca
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saraceno
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gramiccia
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bianchi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D058988:Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D058988:Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors; D013792:Thalidomide; C505730:apremilast
keywords: Psoriasis; apremilast; drug safety; safety