Exploratory Retrospective Assessment of Patients with Psoriasis Receiving Biological Therapy

<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Biological therapies improve disease severity and quality of life in patients with psoriasis, but data on Romanian patients remain limited. Our study aimed to characterize patients with psoriasis from Transylvania and to evaluate the impact of biologics on disease severity, treatment switching, affected special areas response, quality of life, and laboratory biomarkers. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We conducted a retrospective exploratory study at two centers in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, using routinely collected medical data. <i>Results</i>: One-hundred and fifteen patients (aged 2-72 years) were evaluated; 45 patients received anti-TNF, 43 received anti-IL-17, and 27 received anti-IL-23. Patients treated with anti-IL-17 or anti-IL-23 were older at diagnosis than those treated with anti-TNF (<i>p</i> = 0.0001). Psoriatic lesions were prevalent in the scalp (58.3%) and nails (36.5%). Methotrexate was the most common prior systemic therapy (87.8%), with no difference between the groups (<i>p</i> = 0.7668). Patients receiving anti-TNF therapy (46.7%) or anti-IL-17 therapy (20.9%) also most frequently received prior treatment with systemic retinoids. Cardiometabolic comorbidities, including hypertension (40.9%) and diabetes mellitus (20.9%), were prevalent. Anti-IL-17 therapies were used more frequently in patients with hypertension (46.5%), diabetes mellitus (34.9%), and psoriatic arthritis (34.9%). Baseline severity scores were comparable across the groups (<i>p</i> > 0.10). A therapeutic switch occurred in approximately one-quarter of the patients, most frequently in the anti-TNF group (57.8%), which also showed higher PASI and DLQI scores at switching (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). At 36 weeks, anti-IL-17 and anti-IL-23 therapies demonstrated superior outcomes compared to anti-TNF therapy (<i>p</i> = 0.045). All patients receiving anti-IL-23 therapy achieved a PASI 100 at the 60-week follow-up. Significant improvements in PASI and DLQI were observed for all biologics (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). <i>Conclusions</i>: Biological therapies were associated with significant improvements in disease severity and quality of life. Anti-TNF therapies were switched more frequently due to reduced efficacy, while clinical improvement was observed regardless of lesion localization.

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Journal
Medicina
Published
2026-01-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62020257
Primary Topic
Psoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis
Type
article
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article

Exploratory Retrospective Assessment of Patients with Psoriasis Receiving Biological Therapy

Sorina Dănescu, A. Lazar, Adela Sitar-Tăut, Sorana D. Bolboacă et al.
Medicina
Psoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis
article

Exploratory Retrospective Assessment of Patients with Psoriasis Receiving Biological Therapy

Sorina Dănescu, A. Lazar, Adela Sitar-Tăut, Sorana D. Bolboacă, Olga Hilda Orășan, Angela Cozma, Adrian-Lucian Baican, Diana Valentina Câmpean, Ioana Semenescu, Elisabeta Candrea, Romana Vulturar, Paula Iluț, Corina-Iulia Baican
article en

Abstract

<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Biological therapies improve disease severity and quality of life in patients with psoriasis, but data on Romanian patients remain limited. Our study aimed to characterize patients with psoriasis from Transylvania and to evaluate the impact of biologics on disease severity, treatment switching, affected special areas response, quality of life, and laboratory biomarkers. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We conducted a retrospective exploratory study at two centers in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, using routinely collected medical data. <i>Results</i>: One-hundred and fifteen patients (aged 2-72 years) were evaluated; 45 patients received anti-TNF, 43 received anti-IL-17, and 27 received anti-IL-23. Patients treated with anti-IL-17 or anti-IL-23 were older at diagnosis than those treated with anti-TNF (<i>p</i> = 0.0001). Psoriatic lesions were prevalent in the scalp (58.3%) and nails (36.5%). Methotrexate was the most common prior systemic therapy (87.8%), with no difference between the groups (<i>p</i> = 0.7668). Patients receiving anti-TNF therapy (46.7%) or anti-IL-17 therapy (20.9%) also most frequently received prior treatment with systemic retinoids. Cardiometabolic comorbidities, including hypertension (40.9%) and diabetes mellitus (20.9%), were prevalent. Anti-IL-17 therapies were used more frequently in patients with hypertension (46.5%), diabetes mellitus (34.9%), and psoriatic arthritis (34.9%). Baseline severity scores were comparable across the groups (<i>p</i> > 0.10). A therapeutic switch occurred in approximately one-quarter of the patients, most frequently in the anti-TNF group (57.8%), which also showed higher PASI and DLQI scores at switching (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). At 36 weeks, anti-IL-17 and anti-IL-23 therapies demonstrated superior outcomes compared to anti-TNF therapy (<i>p</i> = 0.045). All patients receiving anti-IL-23 therapy achieved a PASI 100 at the 60-week follow-up. Significant improvements in PASI and DLQI were observed for all biologics (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). <i>Conclusions</i>: Biological therapies were associated with significant improvements in disease severity and quality of life. Anti-TNF therapies were switched more frequently due to reduced efficacy, while clinical improvement was observed regardless of lesion localization.

MedicinaVol. 62(2)
Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO), Spitalul Clinic CF Cluj-Napoca (RO), Spitalul Clinic Județean de Urgență Cluj-Napoca (RO)
Openalex Percentile: Top 77%
Psoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis
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