Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Adalimumab is an anti-tumour necrosis factor agent of use in psoriatic arthritis.

AIM:

The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of adalimumab in patients with plaque psoriasis unresponsive to previous therapies.

METHODS:

We present nine patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthropathy treated with adalimumab, including a woman with a history of breast cancer and a man with hepatitis C virus-related liver disease.

RESULTS:

After 12 weeks, 66.6%, 55.5% and 11.1% of the patients showed a Psoriasis Assessment and Severity Index response of 50%, 75% and 90%, respectively. After 20 weeks, these levels had increased to 75%, 62.5% and 37.5%, respectively. After 12 weeks, the Psoriasis Global Assessment (PGA) score was clear or almost clear in 33.3% of the patients. By week 20, this clearance rate had almost doubled (62.5%). In two patients, the treatment was prolonged for 52 weeks, with a sustained response. One patient presented nonspecific colitis and died as a result of in-hospital pneumonia; any implication of adalimumab in the death is not clear. No other serious adverse effects were observed.

CONCLUSION:

In this series adalimumab was found to be effective for psoriasis refractory to other treatments including infliximab and etanercept.