Latent tuberculosis infection in patients with psoriasis using immunobiologicals: an observational study

Immunobiologicals are an increasingly important therapy in the context of inflammatory diseases, mainly in dermatology, with numerous approved medications. 1,2However, the use of these agents is associated with immunosuppressant effects and, consequently, increases the risk of reactivation of latent infections, such as tuberculosis (TB). 2 Recent guidelines recommend carrying out TB screening before starting treatment with any immunobiological agent, using the tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon gama release assay (IGRA), as well as being repeated annually in high-risk patients.For patients who are not considered at high risk, this screening is particularly important for those receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents. 3Despite the recommendation, this is not done frequently in practice, so the objective of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of TB infection (assessed via TST) in patients receiving immunobiological therapy for psoriasis.