Long-term safety and efficacy of etanercept in the treatment of psoriasis

Background: Clinical experience has shown that, in patients with psoriasis, suspending treatment with etanercept at week 24, as indicated in the prescribing information, may lead to a rebound effect. Several clinical trials support long-term use of etanercept, which was shown to have a good safety and efficacy profile. Material and methods: This was a retrospective, observational study of 43 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, with and without joint involvement, who received continuous treatment with etanercept for more than 24 weeks. Results: Etanercept was administered for a mean of 57 weeks. Overall, the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score decreased from a baseline value of 22.5 to 4.3 after treatment. In addition, with continuous treatment, most patients maintained decreases in PASI scores of 50% and even of 75%. Some patients without significant improvement in their PASI score in the first 24 weeks did manage to achieve significant results after prolonged treatment. These outcomes were achieved with a low incidence of adverse effects (reported in 13 patients [30.2%]), which were generally mild. Conclusion: We present our clinical experience with long-term etanercept treatment in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, with and without associated joint involvement. The efficacy and safety profiles were found to be favorable. (C) 2008 Elsevier Espana, S. L., and AEDV.. All rights reserved.