Up until now, real-life experiences on the efficacy of risankizumab in patients who had previously failed anti-IL17, anti-IL12/23 or anti-IL23 inhibitor are not reported. We carried out a single-center, retrospective study, to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of patients under risankizumab who previously failed anti-IL17, anti-IL12/23, or anti-IL23 inhibitors in a real-life setting. A total of eight patients were enrolled (four men and four women, mean age 45.8 ± 14.3 years). Five of them (62.5%) had received ustekinumab, seven (87.5%) at least one anti-IL17, and only one (12.5%) patient guselkumab. Secukinumab had been used in five (62.5%) cases, and ixekizumab in four (50.0%). Baseline mean PASI and BSA were 11.9 ± 5.5, and 22.9 ± 13.1, respectively, and 3.3 ± 1.7 and 7.5 ± 5 (P < .001 and P < .01) at week 16. Mean baseline NAPSI (18.0 ± 8.5) reduced to 7 ± 1.4 at week 16. Palmo-plantar and scalp area showed a reduction of 67.5% and 99.9% at week 16, respectively. No AEs was reported. Real-life preliminary data show risankizumab as a promising therapeutic option in patients who failed anti-IL-17, anti-IL12/23 and even the other anti-IL-23 counterpart, guselkumab.
Recent major research advancements have significantly expanded our understanding of psoriasis pathophysiology, resulting in the development of highly effective, targeted therapies. Guselkumab is the first interleukin (IL)‐23 inhibitor approved for the treatment of moderate‐to‐severe‐psoriasis, providing a new therapeutical option for psoriasis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of guselkumab in psoriatic patients who previously failed anti‐IL‐12/23 and/or anti‐IL‐17 treatment. A 52‐week single‐center retrospective study was performed enrolling moderate‐to‐severe patients attending our Psoriasis Care Center from October 2018 to May 2020. Study population included 13 patients; 46.1% have been previously treated with ustekinumab, while 69.2% have previously failed an anti‐IL‐17 treatment (38.5% secukinumab, 30.8% ixekizumab, and 38.5% both). At baseline, mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index was 13.2 ± 6.8, reducing up to 0.5 ± 0.7 at week 52 (P < .001). Body surface area reduced from 22.3 ± 10.5 (baseline) to 0.8 ± 1.1 at week 52 (P < .001). No statistically significant differences have been found between patients previously treated with anti‐IL‐12/23 compared to anti‐IL‐17 or both. Only one patient discontinued guselkumab at week 36 due to secondary inefficacy. This is a single institution study with a relatively small sample size. Our real‐life data confirm trial results, showing guselkumab as a safe and effective option in patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis even in those who previously failed ustekinumab and/or anti‐IL‐17 treatment.
Summary
Background
Elderly patients (aged ≥ 65 years) represent an increasing proportion of patients with psoriasis and 15% of these have moderate to severe disease. Biologics are being used frequently in this group of patients even though safety and efficacy data are limited. In addition, owing to anti‐interleukin (IL)‐23 therapies being a relatively recent option, no data have been reported about their use in elderly patients with psoriasis.
Aim
To evaluate and compare the safety and efficacy of guselkumab, risankizumab and tildrakizumab in real‐world practice in elderly patients.
Methods
This was a single‐centre retrospective study that enrolled patients aged ≥ 65 years with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, treated with guselkumab, risankizumab or tildrakizumab. The length of the study for each group depended on the drug (44 weeks for risankisumab, 40 weeks for guselkumab and 28 weeks for tildrakizumab, owing to its more recent availability in Italy).
Results
In total, 34 patients were enrolled (n = 20 on guselkumab; n = 8 on risankizumab; n = 6 on tildrakizumab). At Week 4, 29.4% reached 90% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI90) and 8.8% reached 100% improvement in PASI (PASI100); at Week 28, PASI90 and PASI100 was reached by 58.8% and 29.4%, respectively. At the final follow‐up (Week 40 or 44, depending on drug), data were available only for the risankizumab (Week 40) and guselkumab (Week 44) and groups, and showed that 71.4% of patients had reached PASI90 and 53.5% had reached PASI100. Four patients (11.7%) discontinued treatment. No significant differences were found between the three groups. The limitations of the study included its retrospective nature of the study, small sample size, and different numbers of patients and follow‐up duration for the different groups (highest for guselkumab, lowest for tildrakizumab).
Conclusion
The three anti‐IL‐23 therapies assessed are promising, safe and effective options in elderly patients, and there was no significant difference between them. However, more data are needed to confirm our results and to understand their role in the management of this group of patients.
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