Psoriasis

Etanercept (Enbrel®, Amgen and Wyeth), a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist, was approved in January 2002, for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Etanercept was evaluated for the treatment of PsA and psoriasis in a preliminary study of 60 patients and in a confirmatory phase III study of 205 patients.

While the association between psoriasis and various comorbidities is well documented in adults, questions remain as to whether the same relationships exist in the pediatric population.

Tildrakizumab is a promising therapeutic option for patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis. The specificity of the drug in targeting the p19 subunit of IL-23 allows for the high efficacy and safety of long-term treatment as demonstrated in clinical trials.

Moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis may be difficult to control using current therapies, which has led to development of a novel class of therapy, selective tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitors, to address this unmet need.

This article focuses on topical D3 vitamin analogues for the treatment of psoriasis. Therapeutic efficacy, toxicity, patient adherence, combination therapy, and the family physician's role in psoriasis treatment are covered.

Dovobet®/ Daivobet®/ Taclonex® is a product combining two molecules, calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate, that may offer psoriatic patients with an option for maintenance therapy. The efficacy and safety of this combined formulation when used over a 4-week period is well documented.

In this review, we summarize the most common immunosuppressant medications currently used in dermatology, and provide recommendations for infection screening prior to initiating treatment.

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent, immune-mediated, papulosquamous skin condition characterized by rapid proliferation of keratinocytes. This article focuses on the role of vitamin D analogues in the treatment of psoriasis.

For many years, clinicians have expressed ongoing concerns about treatment adherence by patients, especially pertaining to those with chronic skin disorders. Although crucial to effective therapeutic outcomes, the issue of patient adherence has been largely ignored in dermatologic disease management until recently.

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition prone to periods of skin flaring. As our understanding of the etiology of psoriasis becomes clearer, the treatment regimes can be better tailored to control the disease and address psychological fears of patients.

A review of corticosteroids, including use, adverse effects, vehicle, generic vs brand name drugs. Physicians and pharmacists alike should be aware of the importance and the difference of various vehicles when prescribing topical corticosteroids.

A novel topical corticosteroid, halobetasol propionate (HP) 0.01% lotion (Bryhali™), has recently been introduced for the treatment of plaque psoriasis and corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses in adults.

Explore two case studies of plaque psoriasis, treatment challenges, and novel therapeutic options, including topical roflumilast 0.3% cream. Learn how targeting PDE4 can improve psoriasis management, offering a non-steroidal, effective, and convenient solution for patients with different severities.

This review concentrates on those drugs which have been clearly shown, or are widely reputed, to make psoriasis worse. There is insufficient clinical evidence to justify the inclusion of many drugs which have been included in published lists of drugs said to exacerbate psoriasis.

This article discusses the role that dermatologists can play in recognizing the cutaneous manifestations linked with some systemic conditions. Identifying the underlying disorder will contribute to appropriate diagnosis and improved management.

Psoriasis is associated with comorbidities that include metabolic syndrome and increased cardiovascular risk. These conditions share etiologic features and health consequences that directly correlate with the severity of psoriatic disease.

Adherence to topical treatment for psoriasis remains a challenge as the daily application creates a significant treatment burden. New topical therapeutic options need to offer a combination of higher efficacy and better patient acceptability, including...

Unlike many other psoriasis treatments, tildrakizumab can be used in higher-risk populations, such as in the elderly or those with psoriasis in addition to other health conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or psoriatic arthritis.

Scalp psoriasis occurs in 50%-75% of patients with plaque psoriasis. It may be the only area of the body affected, or it may be associated with disease elsewhere, including psoriatic arthritis. Most cases are treated topically, usually with steroids and/or calcipotriol.

Psoriasis and eczema, especially atopic eczema, are two of the most common cutaneous conditions seen by family physicians and dermatologists. This article discusses the etiology of psoriasis and eczema, immunologic abnormalities, and the role of immune mediators.

Many aspects of psoriasis remain a mystery - but one that is slowly becoming revealed. Various immunobiological treatments for psoriasis are covered in this article.

Although PDT remains an investigational treatment modality in dermatology, several important areas of development may ultimately lead to official and practical acceptance of PDT for the skin. Various uses of PDT are evaluated.

Bimekizumab is a novel treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis that has shown promising efficacy and safety in clinical trials. By simultaneously targeting two components of the IL-17 pathway, IL-17A and IL-17F, the biologic can downregulate proinflammatory signaling and rapidly improve patients’ skin.

Psoriasis and eczema, especially atopic eczema, are two of the most common cutaneous conditions seen by family physicians and dermatologists. This article focuses on corticosteroids of varying strengths and their suggested indications.

Etanercept is a tumor necrosis factor antagonist with anti-inflammatory effects. It is currently approved in the US for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical trials have shown this agent to have an excellent safety profile and to be well tolerated by both adult and pediatric patients.

Psoriasis is known as a condition that significantly affects quality of life (QoL). This article discusses various aspects of psoriasis, and its symptoms as it relates to quality of life and appropriate interventions.

Psoriasis remains a therapeutic challenge. Involvement of the scalp can be minimal (“dandruff”) or more significant and difficult to manage. Gentle treatment, reducing trauma, and treating the inflammation and pruritus will improve therapeutic results.

Alcohol is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in our society and is implicated in multiple health conditions, including hepatic failure, neurological damage, and hematological disorders. Herein, we review the evidence concerning the influences of alcohol in skin conditions.

Emotional stress may influence the development and exacerbation of psoriasis. This article review the evidence for stress and its effects, the challenges in accurate measurements, as well as management strategies.

Targeting PDE4 with the selective inhibitor roflumilast, specifically through topical cream at a concentration of 0.3%, has proven to be an effective and well-tolerated strategy for treating plaque psoriasis.

Certolizumab Pegol appears to offer a safe and effective psoriasis treatment for patients who are considering pregnancy, pregnant, or lactating based on its pharmacokinetics and available safety data.

The choice of treatment for psoriasis in children, as in adults, is determined by disease acuity, morphology, distribution, and severity. Part II of this 2-part series features an overview of systemic and light therapies including their varying degrees of effectiveness, potential side-effects and applications in clinical practice.

A novel fixed combination lotion containing the super-potent corticosteroid halobetasol propionate 0.01% and retinoid tazarotene 0.045% (Duobrii™) has recently been introduced and indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults.

Tofacitinib is an oral immunosuppressant approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is currently undergoing investigation (Phase III trials) for treating chronic plaque psoriasis.

This new compound product containing 50µg/gm calcipotriol and 0.5mg/gm betamethasone dipropionate was recently introduced in Canada for the treatment of psoriasis. Clinical trials demonstrated that this compound was more active than either agent used alone.

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease with epidermal hyperplasia. Interleukin (IL)-17 signaling has a central role in its pathogenesis, and is being looked at as a target. The rationale for IL-17 inhibitors, clinical trial results of new drugs like Brodalumab are included.

Psoriasis represents a potentially life-altering disease that can profoundly impact physical, emotional and social functioning, and overall quality of life. Part I of this 2-part series will focus on topical agents, their varying degrees of effectiveness, potential side-effects and applications in clinical practice.

Psoriasis is thought to arise from a combination of pathogenic factors including genetic susceptibility and environmental exacerbation. This article reviews the current status of guselkumab as a therapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that is mediated, in part by the body’s T-cell inflammatory response mechanisms. Current data regarding the efficacy of these agents show they may have the potential to become the new clinical gold standard for biologic therapy to treat psoriasis.

Psoriasis, its diagnostic features, and impact on the patient's quality of life are discussed as well as the most common topical treatments for psoriasis.