The Comparative Efficacy of Secukinumab and Infliximab in the Treatment of Psoriatic Nails

Nail psoriasis is a disease that affects millions worldwide. Research indicates that people suffering from nail psoriasis respond well to monoclonal antibody treatment aimed at characteristic immune cell markers. By targeting immune cell markers, the immune system is subsequently suppressed in a way such that disease activity is decreased. Monoclonal antibody treatments targeted towards a variety of immune cell markers have historically been shown to result in decreases in nail psoriasis severity. Many studies have assessed disease activity with monoclonal antibody treatments, but few have compared different treatments. A systematic review of a study that assessed the disease activity for those taking infliximab was then compared to the findings of another study which assessed the disease activity with those taking secukinumab. The patients treated with infliximab had significantly decreased nail psoriasis severity scores when compared with other matched controls. Those who were treated with secukinumab also had significantly decreased nail psoriasis severity scores when compared with other matched controls. However, those who were treated with secukinumab had a greater reduction of disease activity as compared to control groups than did those who were treated with infliximab. Monoclonal antibody treatments for nail psoriasis are widespread. It is critical that these treatments are compared to find those with the greatest efficacy. For this review, secukinumab seemed to have a greater reduction of disease activity than did infliximab. Further studies with greater sample sizes are needed to conclude which has greater efficacy.