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Identifying patient characteristics associated with achieving treatment response to biologics in patients with psoriasis could prevent expensive switching between biologics. The aim of this study was to identify patient characteristics that predict the efficacy of treatment for biologics that inhibit tumour necrosis factor-a, interleukin-12/-23, and -17A. The study investigated biologic-naïve patients from the DERMBIO registry treated with adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, secukinumab, or ustekinumab. Multivariable logistic models were conducted to assess associations between patient characteristics and treatment response. A total of 2,384 patients were included (adalimumab n = 911; etanercept n = 327; infliximab n = 152; secukinumab n = 323; ustekinumab n = 671). Smoking (odds ratio 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.56-0.97; p = 0.03) and higher bodyweight (odds ratio 0.989; 95% CI 0.984-0.994; p < 0.001) reduced the odds of achieving response defined as Psoriasis Area and Severity Index ≤2.0 after 6 months of treatment. In conclusion, higher bodyweight and smoking were associated with a reduced probability of treatment response for tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors, ustekinumab, and secukinumab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in technology have led to an increased number of studies investigating the microbiome in patients with psoriasis. This systematic review examined data regarding the oral and gut microbiota in patients with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis and the effect of probiotics on the microbiota and severity of psoriasis. Of 1,643 studies, 23 were included (22 observational, 1 interventional). Studies examined the microbiota using culture or 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. All culture-based studies identified an increased presence of oral Candida in patients with psoriasis, whereas small variations in the oral microbiota were found in a 16S rRNA gene-based study. All 16S rRNA gene sequencing based studies agreed that the gut microbiota of patients with psoriatic disease differed from that of healthy controls, but the results were heterogeneous. Probiotics were associated with a significant improvement in the severity of psoriasis, but did not change microbiota. Overall, studies lacked relevant inclusion criteria and baseline information. In conclusion, the role of the microbiota in patients with psoriasis requires further investigation using more robust methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early response to treatment with biologics might be important for the stability of psoriasis and long-term outcome. The aim of this study was therefore to assess whether risk of flares and drug survival are associated with disease activity in the first 6 months of treatment of psoriasis with biologics. Biologic-naïve patients from the Danish nationwide registry, DERMBIO, were grouped based on absolute Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) during the first 6 months of treatment, as: PASI = 0, PASI > 0-≤2, PASI > 2-≤ 4, and PASI > 4. Among 1,684 patients, 746 achieved PASI= 0, 485 PASI > 0-≤2, 246 PASI > 2-≤4, and 207 PASI > 4. Longer flare-free period and drug survival were observed for patients with lower PASI in the first 6 months of treatment (adjusted hazard ratios for flares (95% confidence interval) with PASI= 0 as reference: PASI > 0-≤2 (1.35 (1.11-1.72]), PASI > 2-≤ 4 (2.32 [1.80-2.99]), and PASI > 4 (2.38 [1.80-3.15])). In conclusion, a low PASI in the first 6 months of treatment with biologics in biologic-naïve patients with psoriasis was associated with a more stable disease course, lower risk of flares, and longer drug survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initiation and evaluation of treatment with biologics for psoriasis is based on the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) and/or Dermatological Life Quality Index (DLQI). However, these indices do not always correlate well, and changes in the DLQI do not always follow changes in the PASI. Based on data from the Danish national registry (DERMBIO), this study investigated the correlation between changes in PASI and DLQI in a cohort of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with biologics or apremilast using Spearman's rank correlation analyses. The correlation analysis of 1,677 patients, of whom 276 had available data after 5 years, showed weak-to-moderate correlation between PASI and DLQI during a 5-year period and between changes in PASI and DLQI: 0.58 (p < 0.0001) for baseline to 3 months and 0.42 (p < 0.0001) for 3 to 12 months. The first question on "Symptoms and feelings"made up the largest proportion of the overall DLQI. The correlation between PASI and DLQI is weakto- moderate and varies over time. Changes in PASI correlate weak-to-moderately with changes in DLQI during the first 12 months of treatment, with symptoms being the most important factor contributing to impaired quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unclear whether psoriasis is a progressive disease that requires early aggressive intervention. This population-based study identified patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Survival analysis and Kaplan--Meier life table techniques were used. The study comprised 10,011 psoriasis patients (severe n = 4,618), and 1,269 patients also had PsA. Incidence of PsA increased with duration of cutaneous symptoms (p = 0.0001). Psoriasis diagnosed before age 20 or 30 years, respectively, suggested a lower risk of PsA than psoriasis diagnosed after age 50 years, yet age at first cutaneous symptoms did not predict development of PsA. No clear association with disease severity was found. PsA incidence appeared stable with longer duration of psoriasis, but further data are needed to firmly establish the relationship with age of psoriasis onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spleen is thought to play a role in atherosclerosis-associated immunity and cardiovascular research has indicated the existence of a cardio-splenic axis. The aim of this study was to assess splenic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake as a measure of systemic inflammation in patients with untreated psoriasis compared with historical controls assessed by positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Patients with moderateto-severe psoriasis (n = 12, age 61.4 ± 4.1 years, 83% men, mean Psoriasis Area Severity Index score of 14.5) and controls (n = 23, age 60.4 ± 4.5 years, 87% men) were included in the study. Splenic inflammation was measured using the background-corrected spleen-liver-ratio (SLR) based on mean standardized uptake values. Mean ± SD SLR was increased in patients with psoriasis compared with controls (0.94 ± 0.11 vs. 0.82 ± 0.08; p = 0.001). SLR was significantly associated with aortic inflammation. These results support the existence of systemic inflammation in patients with psoriasis, and provide the rationale for a mechanistic link between psoriasis-driven inflammation and cardiovascular comorbidity through a spleen-atherosclerotic axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring of biological treatment efficacy for psoriasis is based on clinical evaluation and patient's quality of life. However, long-term correlation between Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in real life has not been studied in patients treated with ustekinumab. All patients with psoriasis treated with ustekinumab at our department were included (n = 120) in this study. Correlation analyses between the change in PASI and DLQI and the individual subquestions in DLQI were performed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. A correlation value of 0.57 (p-value < 0.001) and 0.45 (p-value < 0.001) between PASI and DLQI were found in the period baseline months and baseline 12 months, respectively. In DLQI subquestions, the greatest association was found for the questions on "Symptoms and feelings". Objective improvements in the severity of psoriasis were weakly to moderately associated with improvements in quality of life in patients with psoriasis treated with ustekinumab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease, which, in studies among adults, have been shown to cluster with autoimmune disease. The aim of this cross-sectional register study was to examine possible associations between 9 pre-selected autoimmune diseases and psoriasis in children and adolescents. The study population consisted of all individuals living in Denmark, age under 18 years on 31 December 2012. A total of 1,925 children and adolescents with psoriasis and 1,194,712 without psoriasis were identified. Psoriatic arthritis (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 10.08; 7.97-12.74), rheumatoid arthritis (adjusted OR 6.61; 2.75-15.87) and vitiligo (adjusted OR 4.76; 1.71-13.20) showed strong associations with psoriasis. In addition to increased risk of selected autoimmune diseases, the presence of psoriasis was associated with increased risk of multiple concurrent autoimmune diseases compared with children and adolescents without psoriasis. Clinicians should be aware of extracutaneous symptoms when treating children and adolescents with psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis has been associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in some, but not all, studies. This study investigated the risk of MI in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in Denmark. All residents aged =18 years from 1 January 2008 through 31 December 2012 were included. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) did not show an increased risk of MI in patients with mild psoriasis (HR 1.02; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.96-1.09), whereas the risk was slightly increased in patients with severe psoriasis (HR 1.21; 1.07-1.37). Stratified by age, there was no increased risk of MI in any specific age group, regardless of severity. Limited to first-time MI, the risk was increased only in patients with severe psoriasis aged <50 years (HR 1.52; 1.03-2.25). The same applied to patients without psoriatic arthritis (severe psoriasis aged <50 years; HR 1.74; 1.11-2.72). In analyses restricted to patients with psoriatic arthritis, age-specific strata did not show any association between psoriatic arthritis and MI risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence and temporal trends of psoriasis in Denmark between 2003 and 2012 were examined. There was a female predominance ranging between 50.0% (2007) and 55.4% (2009), and the mean age at time of diagnosis was 47.7-58.7 years. A total of 126,055 patients with psoriasis (prevalence 2.2%) were identified. Incidence rates of psoriasis (per 100,000 person years) ranged from 107.5 in 2005 to a peak incidence of 199.5 in 2010. Incidence rates were higher for women, and patients aged 60-69 years, respectively. Use of systemic non-biologic agents, i.e. methotrexate, cyclosporine, retinoids, or psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) increased over the study course, and were used in 15.0% of all patients. Biologic agents (efalizumab, etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, or ustekinumab) were utilized in 2.7% of patients. On a national level, incidence of psoriasis fluctuated during the 10- year study course. The relationship between psoriasis incidence and age appeared to be relatively linear, and disease prevalence was comparable to that in other European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with overweight, obesity and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Americans, similarly to psoriasis, but no increased risk of CVD has been shown in European patients with AD. This study investigated the prevalence and risk of gallstones in adults with AD and in those with psoriasis as a proxy for obesity using nationwide data for all Danish citizens ≥ 30 years of age. Outcome was a diagnosis of gallstones. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression (cross-sectional study) and hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated by Cox regression (cohort study). The study comprised 6,742 patients with AD, 53,810 patients with psoriasis, and 3,534,164 general population subjects. The prevalence of gallstones was 3.8%, 3.5% and 5.0% in the general population, AD and psoriasis patients, respectively. Adjusted ORs were 0.81 (0.71-0.92) for AD and 1.18 (1.14-1.23) for psoriasis. During follow-up, adjusted HRs were 0.72 (0.56-0.90) for AD and 1.10 (1.02-1.18) for psoriasis. The findings highlight important differences in obesity and lifestyle factors among patients with AD and those with psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) and erythroderma exfoliativa (EE) are acute and potentially life-threatening inflammatory reactions. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) of 3-year mortality following hospitalization for EP or EE compared with general population controls, patients hospitalized for psoriasis vulgaris, and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), respectively. We identified 26 and 48 patients with a first-time hospitalization (1997-2010) for EP and EE, respectively (10 matched populationcontrols for each patient), 1,998 patients with psoriasis vulgaris, and 60 patients with TEN. During follow-up, 8 (30.8%) patients with EP, 19 (39.6%) patients with EE, and 34 (56.7%) patients with TEN died. Compared with population-controls, adjusted HRs were 4.40 (95% CI 1.66-11.70) for EP and 2.16 (1.21-3.82) for EE. Compared with psoriasis vulgaris, adjusted HRs were 1.83 (0.90-3.73) for EP, and 1.28 (1.01-1.63) for EE. The risk was significantly lower in EP (0.38 (0.16-0.91)) and in EE (0.50 (0.36-0.71)), compared with TEN. Mortality in EP and EE is high, and close follow-up is advised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is associated with depression, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. Patients with depression have increased cardiovascular risk. However, the link between psoriasis, depression and cardiovascular disease is unclear. This link was investigated in a nationwide Danish cohort of patients with psoriasis (n = 29,406). Incidence rates were calculated, and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) adjusted for age, gender, socio-economic status, medication and comorbidity were estimated by Poisson regression models. Risk of MI (IRR 1.57, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.07-2.29), stroke (IRR 1.95, 95% CI 1.43-2.66), and cardiovascular death (IRR 2.24, 95% CI 1.53-3.26) were increased significantly during acute depression, and risk of stroke (IRR 1.51, 95% CI 1.19-1.90) was increased significantly in chronic depression. During remission from depression, only the risk of stroke was increased. In conclusion, in patients with psoriasis, depression is associated with increased risk of MI, stroke and cardiovascular death, especially during acute depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of depression, but results are inconsistent. This study examined the risk of new-onset depression in patients with psoriasis in a nationwide Danish cohort including some 5 million people in the period 2001-2011. A total of 35,001 patients with mild psoriasis and 7,510 with severe psoriasis were identified. Incidence rates per 1,000 person-years and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated. Incidence rates for depression were 20.0 (95% confidence interval 19.9-20.0), 23.9 (23.1-24.7) and 31.6 (29.5-33.8) for the reference population, mild, and severe psoriasis, respectively. Adjusted for age, sex, and inclusion year, IRRs were 1.08 (1.04-1.12) in mild and 1.36 (1.27-1.46) in severe psoriasis. After adjustment for comorbidity, the IRR was significant in only patients < 50 years with severe psoriasis (IRR 1.23 (1.03-1.46)). In conclusion, the risk of new-onset depression in psoriasis is mediated primarily by comorbidities, except in younger individuals with severe psoriasis, in whom psoriasis itself may be a risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which showed the prevalence of cancer in adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), a common chronic inflammatory skin disease. Topics discussed include the potential explanatory factors for altered risk in AD, association between AD and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and cervical cancer and systemic anti-inflammatory agents associated with an increased risk of NMSC.

The article presents a study regarding the prevalence of psoriasis as a chronic systemic inflammatory skin disease. It examines the high risk of autoimmune hepatitis in persons with psoriasis. It also cites the prevalence of autoimmune disease in children of patients with an autoimmune diseases and psoriases.

Chronic urticaria (CU) is a common condition characterized by daily or almost daily occurrence of wheals, angioedema, or both over a period of more than 6 weeks (1). CU is classified into inducible (CIndU) and spontaneous forms (CSU). The annual period prevalence of CSU was recently estimated in an Italian cohort as between 0.02% and 0.38%, whereas a German study showed a lifetime prevalence of CU at 1.8% (2, 3). While an association between CU and certain autoimmune diseases is well-established (3), CSU was surprisingly associated with obesity in a recent Italian study (4). Moreover, in a South Korean cohort of 131 patients with CU, metabolic syndrome was present in 30% of patients, and these individuals had particularly poor clinical outcomes and a more severe disease course (5). Finally, a population-based Taiwanese study of 9798 adults with CU recently showed that the condition was significantly associated with having received a prior diagnosis of hyperlipidaemia (6). Despite the above observations, no study has examined a possible association between CU and cardiovascular (CV) disease. We therefore investigated the risk of myocardial infarction (MI), ischaemic stroke, CV death, and major adverse CV events (MACE; a composite of MI, ischemic stroke, and CV death), in patients with CU and CIndU, respectively, in a nationwide cohort using prospectively collected administrative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]