Infliximab treatment of psoriasis in supervised infusion centers: case management experience.

Abstract

Psoriasis is a systemic chronic inflammatory disease that affects 1-3% of the world's population. Knowledge of the pathogenesis of psoriasis, particularly in the understanding of the role of T cells and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), and advances in immunology have led to the development of biological agents, which, due to their great effectiveness, speed of response and good tolerability, have revolutionized patient management. One of these is infliximab, a human chimeric immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody composed of human antibody constant regions and murine variable regions that was developed specifically to target TNFα. The six cases presented in this series highlight the feasibility, efficacy and safety of infliximab for psoriasis when administered in a variety of patients in several infusion centers across Spain. All six patients showed improvement in their psoriasis after the initiation of infliximab and no significant tolerability issues or injection site reactions were reported, despite the presence of several comorbid conditions or patient characteristics that traditionally reduce the efficacy of psoriasis treatments. This suggests that while the management of psoriasis patients with comorbid conditions and various unfavorable prognostic characteristics requires a multidisciplinary approach to ensure the patient obtains the best therapeutic response, infliximab is an effective and well tolerated treatment in these patients.

• Authors: Lucía Campos Muñoz, Blanca de Unamuno Bustos, Pedro Herranz Pinto, Husein Husein El Ahmed, Ricardo Ruiz-Villaverde, Rosa Taberner Ferrer
• Journal: American journal of clinical dermatology (Am J Clin Dermatol) Vol. 15 Suppl 1 Pg. S17-24 (Feb 2014) ISSN: 1179-1888 [Electronic] New Zealand
• PMID: 24777572 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Dermatologic Agents
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Infliximab

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Ambulatory Care (methods)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Dermatologic Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Infliximab
• Infusions, Intravenous
• Interdisciplinary Communication
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Psoriasis (drug therapy, pathology)
• Spain
• Treatment Outcome
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (antagonists & inhibitors)