RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF INFLIXIMAB IN MODERATE TO SEVERE PLAQUE PSORIASIS PATIENTS

This was a retrospective observation study, which evaluated the effectiveness of iniximab in inammatory plaque psoriasis. Fifty patients, 18 years and older, of both genders who had taken iniximab therapy at an out-patient dermatology department at a tertiary care hospital, Pondicherry were selected. The patients received 80 mg iniximab loading dose and 40 mg maintenance dose at every alternate week. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was used to measure efcacy at baseline (week 0), 4 weeks, 12 weeks and 52 weeks. The ndings were signicant with 96%, of the patients showing a PASI 75 at week 52. Also, there were no major differences in the efcacy of the treatment in the biologic-naive and non-naive patients. The results point at the efcacy of iniximab to treat moderate-to-severe forms of the plaque psoriasis and denote the fact that iniximab can be regarded as a worthwhile therapeutic solution to both biologics naive and to non-naive patients. It is suggested that further research involving large sample studies and randomized controlled study should be done to validate long term safety and efcacy of iniximab in the treatment of Psoriasis.