Retinoid-induced skeletal hyperostosis in disorders of keratinization.

For disorders of keratinization, topical treatment alone may be ineffective, and systemic retinoid therapy may be indicated. Treatment with systemic retinoids (acitretin, isotretinoin and alitretinoin) has been shown to be effective in reducing disease severity; however, potentially rare adverse effects (AEs) may occur, including hyperostotic skeletal changes. The true prevalence of this AE in adult patients administered life-long therapy is unknown. We identified 3 of 127 (2.4%) patients (with ichthyosis or Darier disease) who had been prescribed isotretinoin with or without acitretin, and who developed radiological signs and clinical symptoms of hyperostosis and ligamentous ossification. This clinical review highlights the significance of retinoid-induced skeletal hyperostosis in patients prescribed long-term, high-dose retinoid therapy for disorders of keratinization. Patients commencing systemic retinoid therapy, particularly women of childbearing age, should be counselled about this important and potentially serious AE, especially if long-term treatment is indicated.

Eficacia y seguridad de guselkumab en el tratamiento de pacientes adultos con psoriasis vulgar activa, moderada a severa con respuesta inadecuada o intolerancia a seis líneas de tratamiento: terapia tópica convencional (beclometasona o clobetasol), fototerapia, terapia convencional sistémica (acitretin, metotrexate o ciclosporina), otros anti-tnf (adalimumab y etanercept) diferentes a infliximab, anti-il17 (secukinumab), y antecedentes de tuberculosis activa o latente ante el uso de infliximab / Efficacy and safety of guselkumab in the treatment of adult patients with active, moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris with inadequate response or intolerance to six lines of treatment: conventional topical therapy (beclomethasone or clobetasol), phototherapy, conventional systemic therapy (acitretin, methotrexate or cyclosporine ), other anti-tnf (adalimumab and etanercept) other than infliximab

ANTECEDENTES: En el marco de la metodología ad hoc para evaluar solicitudes de tecnologías sanitarias, aprobada mediante Resolución del Instituto de Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud e Investigación N° 111-IETSI-ESSALUD-2021, se ha elaborado el presente dictamen, el cual expone la evaluación de la eficacia y seguridad de guselkumab en el tratamiento de pacientes adultos con psoriasis vulgar activa, moderada a severa con respuesta inadecuada o intolerancia a seis líneas de tratamiento: terapia tópica convencional (beclometasona o clobetasol), fototerapia, terapia convencional sistémica (acitretin, metotrexate o ciclosporina), otros anti-TNF (adalimumab y etanercept) diferentes a infliximab, anti-IL17 (secukinumab), y antecedentes de tuberculosis activa o latente ante el uso de infliximab. ASPECTOS GENERALES: La psoriasis es la enfermedad dermatológica crónica e inmunitaria más frecuente, que afecta a más de 60 millones de adultos y niños en el mundo (WHO, 2016), con una prevalencia de alrededor de 2.5 % en el Perú (Rodríguez-Zúñiga, 2016). Esta enfermedad presenta varios fenotipos, donde destaca la presentación en placas, también conocida como psoriasis vulgar (Greb, 2016). Este fenotipo es el más común, y se caracteriza por la presencia de placas circunscritas, simétricas, con zonas eritematosas, gruesas y escamosas que aparecen frecuentemente en cuero cabelludo, tronco y extremidades (superficies extensoras) (Griffiths et al., 2021). La psoriasis suele clasificarse en leve, moderada y severa, y se rige de las mediciones de la Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), la Body surface area (BSA) y la calidad de vida medida a partir del Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) (Finlay, 2015; Robinson et al., 2012). La enfermedad severa se define cuando el paciente presenta un BSA de más del 10 %, y más de 10 puntos en la DLQI (Daudén et al., 2016). Los pacientes con psoriasis vulgar que tienen un compromiso severo requieren cualquiera de los tratamientos sistémicos convencionales (metotrexato, ciclosporina o acitretin) y fototerapia. Cuando estos medicamentos no producen una respuesta adecuada, se administran terapias biológicas (Paolo Gisondi et al., 2017). Las terapias biológicas tienen una inhibición dirigida de las vías del sistema inmune que implican citoquinas específicas, como el factor de necrosis tumoral (TNF), la interleucina (IL)-17 y la IL-23 (Fellner, 2016). La decisión de cuándo y cómo progresar en los algoritmos de tratamiento se basa en objetivos de tratamiento; los cuales están relacionados con medidas de resultados y el impacto de la enfermedad en la calidad de vida (Mrowietz et al., 2011). Actualmente, el objetivo final del tratamiento es la remisión completa o casi completa de las lesiones cutáneas, y una mejora del 90 % o más del PASI que suelen evaluarse a las 12 o 16 semanas, que es el resultado más relevante del tratamiento en la enfermedad severa (Daudén et al., 2016; P. Gisondi et al., 2017; Piaserico et al., 2014). Cuando no se alcanzan estos objetivos, se puede aumentar la dosis, reducir el intervalo de tiempo entre las administraciones o realizar combinaciones de medicamentos. Cuando estas estrategias no funcionan se indica el cambio de medicamento (Piaserico et al., 2014). METODOLOGÍA: Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda bibliográfica amplia y exhaustiva con el objetivo de identificar la mejor evidencia disponible sobre la eficacia y seguridad de guselkumab en el tratamiento de pacientes adultos con psoriasis vulgar activa, moderada a severa con respuesta inadecuada o intolerancia a seis líneas de tratamiento: terapia tópica convencional (beclometasona o clobetasol), fototerapia, terapia convencional sistémica (acitretin, metotrexate o ciclosporina), otros anti-TNF (adalimumab y etanercept) diferentes a infliximab, anti-IL17 (secukinumab), y antecedentes de tuberculosis activa o latente ante el uso de infliximab. La búsqueda bibliográfica se realizó en las bases de datos bibliográficas PubMed, The Cochrane Library y LILACS (Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud). Asimismo, se realizó una búsqueda dentro de la información generada en las páginas web de grupos o instituciones que realizan revisiones sistemáticas, evaluación de tecnologías sanitarias y guías de práctica clínica, tales como: el National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), la Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), el Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), la Haute Authorité de Santé (HAS), el Institute for Quality and Efficiency in HealthCare (IQWiG), el Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) y en la Base Regional de Informes de Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud de las Américas (BRISA), y en las principales instituciones o sociedades especializadas en reumatología: la American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), la British Association of Dermatologists (BAD), la European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV), y la International Psoriasis Council (IPC). Además, se llevó a cabo una búsqueda manual en el motor de búsqueda Google utilizando los términos: "Psoriasis guidelines"; revisando en las diez primeras páginas de resultados, a fin de poder identificar otras publicaciones de relevancia que pudiesen haber sido omitidas por la estrategia de búsqueda o que no hayan sido publicadas en las bases de datos bibliográficas consideradas. Finalmente, se realizó una búsqueda manual en ClinicalTrials.gov para identificar ensayos clínicos aleatorizados (ECA) en curso o que no hayan sido publicados aún. RESULTADOS: Luego de la búsqueda bibliográfica hasta enero de 2021, se identificaron: una guía de práctica clínica (GPC) (BAD, 2020), y tres ECA fase III (Reich et al., 2019; Blauvelt et al., 2017; Reich et al., 2017). Por otro lado, se excluyeron tres GPC (AAD, 2019; EGDG, 2020; EDF, 2015) debido a que no brindan recomendaciones específicas para pacientes que han fallado a múltiples terapias. Además, se excluyeron seis ETS (SMC, 2018; HAS, 2018; IQWiG, 2018; ICER, 2018; NICE, 2018; CADTH, 2018) porque realizaron evaluaciones de guselkumab en una población que no corresponde a la población PICO. CONCLUSIÓN: Por lo expuesto, el Instituto de Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud e InvestigaciónIETSI no aprueba el uso de guselkumab en pacientes adultos con psoriasis vulgar activa, moderada a severa con respuesta inadecuada o intolerancia a seis líneas de tratamiento: terapia tópica convencional (beclometasona o clobetasol), fototerapia, terapia convencional sistémica (acitretin, metotrexate o ciclosporina), otros anti-TNF (adalimumab y etanercept) diferentes a infliximab, anti-IL17 (secukinumab), y antecedentes de tuberculosis activa o latente ante el uso de infliximab, como producto farmacéutico no incluido en el Petitorio Farmacológico de EsSalud.

Pityriasis rubra pilaris treatment options: A retrospective case series from a tertiary hospital.

Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is a group of uncommon chronic inflammatory skin conditions with unclear pathophysiology and etiology. To date there is limited published literature and no clinical guidelines for the management of PRP. Infliximab, alone or in combination, is the most widely published successful treatment for adults and etanercept for pediatric populations. We present a case series of patients diagnosed with PRP. Retrospective data were collected from a tertiary Australian dermatology department between January 2010 and December 2019 on patients with PRP. Electronic medical records and pathology database were searched. A total of 13 patients were included. Twelve of the 13 patients used topical agents and three patients attempted narrow-band ultraviolet B phototherapy. All patients received acitretin as first line systemic agent with the dose varying from 10 to 50 mg daily. Six patients treated with acitretin reported adverse events, requiring dose reduction or cessation. Of the nine patients who did not receive a biologic agent, complete clearance of PRP was achieved in five cases. At least one biologic agent was used in four cases with two experiencing a marked improvement. Overall, complete clearance was achieved in six patients. PRP continues to be a challenge to treat with many treatment options used with variable efficacy.

Le choix thérapeutique : médicaments du psoriasis et grossesse avant, pendant et après la grossesse.

Psoriasis typically affects young adults and therefore many women with a desire to become pregnant or already pregnant. In this particular situation, treatment can be a real challenge for some patients, especially in the case of severe forms. In addition to local treatments, which are generally well tolerated, UVB phototherapy and cyclosporin remain the first-line systemic treatments. Acitretin and methotrexate are contraindicated. Safety data regarding the administration of biologic agents during pregnancy, are reassuring, the main adverse event being immunosuppression of the newborn if treatment is not discontinued. Biologic agents should ideally be discontinued before pregnancy, but in case of absolute necessity, they can be maintained or even initiated during pregnancy. Overall, it is recommended that biologic agents should not be continued beyond the second trimester because of the risk of maternal-fetal infection. If a biologic agent should be initiated during pregnancy, tanercept or certolizumab will be preferred, because of their low transplacental passage and more extensive safety data.

Interventions for mycosis fungoides.

BACKGROUND: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a malignant, chronic disease initially affecting the skin. Several therapies are available, which may induce clinical remission for a time. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2012: we wanted to assess new trials, some of which investigated new interventions. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of interventions for MF in all stages of the disease. SEARCH METHODS: We updated our searches of the following databases to May 2019: the Cochrane Skin Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and LILACS. We searched 2 trials registries for additional references. For adverse event outcomes, we undertook separate searches in MEDLINE in April, July and November 2017. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of local or systemic interventions for MF in adults with any stage of the disease compared with either another local or systemic intervention or with placebo. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. The primary outcomes were improvement in health-related quality of life as defined by participants, and common adverse effects of the treatments. Key secondary outcomes were complete response (CR), defined as complete disappearance of all clinical evidence of disease, and objective response rate (ORR), defined as proportion of patients with a partial or complete response. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence and considered comparisons of psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) light treatment as most important because this is first-line treatment for MF in most guidelines. MAIN RESULTS: This review includes 20 RCTs (1369 participants) covering a wide range of interventions. The following were assessed as either treatments or comparators: imiquimod, peldesine, hypericin, mechlorethamine, nitrogen mustard and intralesional injections of interferon-α (IFN-α) (topical applications); PUVA, extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP: photochemotherapy), and visible light (light applications); acitretin, bexarotene, lenalidomide, methotrexate and vorinostat (oral agents); brentuximab vedotin; denileukin diftitox; mogamulizumab; chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, etoposide, and vincristine; a combination of chemotherapy with electron beam radiation; subcutaneous injection of IFN-α; and intramuscular injections of active transfer factor (parenteral systemics). Thirteen trials used an active comparator, five were placebo-controlled, and two compared an active operator to observation only. In 14 trials, participants had MF in clinical stages IA to IIB. All participants were treated in secondary and tertiary care settings, mainly in Europe, North America or Australia. Trials recruited both men and women, with more male participants overall. Trial duration varied from four weeks to 12 months, with one longer-term study lasting more than six years. We judged 16 trials as at high risk of bias in at least one domain, most commonly performance bias (blinding of participants and investigators), attrition bias and reporting bias. None of our key comparisons measured quality of life, and the two studies that did presented no usable data. Eighteen studies reported common adverse effects of the treatments. Adverse effects ranged from mild symptoms to lethal complications depending upon the treatment type. More aggressive treatments like systemic chemotherapy generally resulted in more severe adverse effects. In the included studies, CR rates ranged from 0% to 83% (median 31%), and ORR ranged from 0% to 88% (median 47%). Five trials assessed PUVA treatment, alone or combined, summarised below. There may be little to no difference between intralesional IFN-α and PUVA compared with PUVA alone for 24 to 52 weeks in CR (risk ratio (RR) 1.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87 to 1.31; 2 trials; 122 participants; low-certainty evidence). Common adverse events and ORR were not measured. One small cross-over trial found once-monthly ECP for six months may be less effective than twice-weekly PUVA for three months, reporting CR in two of eight participants and ORR in six of eight participants after PUVA, compared with no CR or ORR after ECP (very low-certainty evidence). Some participants reported mild nausea after PUVA but no numerical data were given. One participant in the ECP group withdrew due to hypotension. However, we are unsure of the results due to very low-certainty evidence. One trial comparing bexarotene plus PUVA versus PUVA alone for up to 16 weeks reported one case of photosensitivity in the bexarotene plus PUVA group compared to none in the PUVA-alone group (87 participants; low-certainty evidence). There may be little to no difference between bexarotene plus PUVA and PUVA alone in CR (RR 1.41, 95% CI 0.71 to 2.80) and ORR (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.44) (93 participants; low-certainty evidence). One trial comparing subcutaneous IFN-α injections combined with either acitretin or PUVA for up to 48 weeks or until CR indicated there may be little to no difference in the common IFN-α adverse effect of flu-like symptoms (RR 1.32, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.88; 82 participants). There may be lower CR with IFN-α and acitretin compared with IFN-α and PUVA (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.84; 82 participants) (both outcomes: low-certainty evidence). This trial did not measure ORR. One trial comparing PUVA maintenance treatment to no maintenance treatment, in participants who had already had CR, did report common adverse effects. However, the distribution was not evaluable. CR and OR were not assessable. The range of treatment options meant that rare adverse effects consequently occurred in a variety of organs. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: ​​There is a lack of high-certainty evidence to support decision making in the treatment of MF. Because of substantial heterogeneity in design, missing data, small sample sizes, and low methodological quality, the comparative safety and efficacy of these interventions cannot be reliably established on the basis of the included RCTs. PUVA is commonly recommended as first-line treatment for MF, and we did not find evidence to challenge this recommendation. There was an absence of evidence to support the use of intralesional IFN-α or bexarotene in people receiving PUVA and an absence of evidence to support the use of acitretin or ECP for treating MF. Future trials should compare the safety and efficacy of treatments to PUVA, as the current standard of care, and should measure quality of life and common adverse effects.

Curcumin nanoparticles potentiate therapeutic effectiveness of acitrein in moderate-to-severe psoriasis patients and control serum cholesterol levels.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, nanoparticles of curcumin were developed and orally administered to moderate-to-severe psoriasis (Psoriasis Area Severity Index values, PASI > 10) patients, in a placebo controlled, double blind, randomised clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness. METHODS: Diverse binary systems of curcumin and hydrophilic polymers were investigated to optimise solubility and stability in terms of curcumin residual content and size of the crystals. Nanocrystals of curcumin stabilised with PVP (1 : 0.5, w/w), were characterised using X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, TEM analyses and stability studies. The formulation was evaluated with a parallel artificial membrane permeability assay to predict the passive intestinal absorption. The first group of patients was treated orally with acitretin (0.4 mg/kg per day) plus nanocurcumin (3 g/day), the second group with acitretin, for 12 weeks. KEY FINDINGS: Curcumin nanoparticles were homogeneous and stable systems. Curcumin permeability was significantly enhanced when compared with aqueous saturated solution of curcumin. The reduction in PASI was significantly higher in patients treated with curcumin (P < 0.0001) and cholesterol serum levels remained unchanged in patients treated with acitretin plus nanocurcumin. CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin nanoparticles represent an effective adjuvant therapy in moderate-to-severe psoriasis patients treated with oral acitretin, improving their lipid serum profile.

Management of pediatric psoriasis with acitretin: A review.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin which can occur at any age-group. Psoriasis in childhood is not uncommon and has genetic susceptibility but usually, an environmental trigger such as infection is thought to initiate the disease process. Pediatric psoriasis has profound effects on both physical and psychosocial health of the patient. Treatment of mild psoriasis can be done with topical therapies but those which do not respond to topical therapies can be treated with phototherapy and systemic therapies. The use of systemic therapies in childhood is mainly based on the published data, case series, expert opinion and the experience as there is the lack of controlled trials in the age group. Based on the experience retinoids are probably the second line drugs for the treatment of pediatric psoriasis which do not respond to topical therapies and phototherapy. Using acitretin in a low dose and with proper physical examinations and laboratory investigations will reduce the hazard of potential serious adverse events. This article gives the review of the use of acitretin in pediatric psoriasis.

Eficacia y seguridad de ustekinumab en comparación con infliximab y etanercept en pacientes con psoriasis vulgar severa y artritis psoriasica con respuesta inadecuada a fototerapia y a terapia sistémica convencional, con especial enfoque en el riesgo de reactivación de TBC / Efficacy and safety of ustekinumab compared to infliximab and etanercept in patients with severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with inadequate response to phototherapy and conventional systemic therapy, with a special focus on the risk of reactivation of TBC

INTRODUCCIÓN: El presente dictamen expone la evaluación de la eficacia y seguridad de ustekinumab en pacientes con psoriasis vulgar severa y artritis psoriásica, con respuesta inadecuada a fototerapia y a terapia sistémica convencional, con especial enfoque en la reactivación de TBC. Tal como se describe en el Dictamen Preliminar de Evaluación de Tecnología Sanitaria N.° 054-SDEPFyOTS-DETS IETSI-2017, la psoriasis o psoriasis vulgar es una enfermedad sistémica que, en casos severos, o en la presencia de artritis psoriásica, puede llegar a reducir la funcionalidad de los pacientes y limitar su desempeño social, disminuyendo la calidad de vida de los que la padecen. El tratamiento para psoriasis vulgar moderada-severa, y para artritis psoriásica, disponible en el Petitorio Farmacológico de EsSalud, como primera línea de tratamiento es la terapia sistémica (e.g., metotrexato, ciclosporina, acitretina, entre otros) y la fototerapia; y como segunda línea de tratamiento se cuenta con agentes biológicos, tales como etanercept e infliximab. Asimismo, se cuenta con adalimumab, el cual está aprobado para su uso por fuera del Petitorio Farmacológico de EsSalud solo en pacientes con psoriasis moderada-severa con respuesta inadecuada a infliximab y etanercept. TECNOLOGÍA SANITARIA DE INTERÉS: En el Dictamen Preliminar de Evaluación de Tecnología Sanitaria N.° 054-SDEPFyOTS-DETS-IETSI-2017 se describió el agente biológico ustekinumab de manera extensa. Brevemente, ustekinumab es un anticuerpo monoclonal que actúa sobre las interleucinas 12 y 23 (IL-12/23), evitando que las interleucinas se unan a las células Th17 y desencadenen la cascada de inflamación. METODOLOGÍA: Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda de la literatura exhaustiva y jerárquica con respecto a la eficacia y seguridad de ustekinumab en pacientes con psoriasis vulgar severa y artritis psoriásica, con respuesta inadecuada a fototerapia y a terapia sistémica convencional, con un enfoque especial en la reactivación de TBC. Esta búsqueda se realizó revisando la información sobre el uso del medicamento de acuerdo con entidades reguladoras como la Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), la European Medicines Agency (EMA) y la Dirección General de Medicamentos, Insumos y Drogas (DIGEMID). Se amplió la búsqueda a páginas web de las sociedades o agencias gubernamentales como The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) y The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Posteriormente, se revisó la National Library of Medicine a través de PubMed y la base de datos de Cochrane empleando los términos de búsqueda mostrados en la siguiente subsección y los filtros correspondientes a GPC, MA, RS, ECA y observacionales en línea con los criterios de elegibilidad. Por último, la selección de la evidencia siguió el flujograma mostrado en la subsección de resultados. RESULTADOS: Basado en la mejor evidencia identificada a la fecha (abril-2018), se han encontrado e incluido en el presente dictamen dos guías de práctica clínica (GPC), dos metaanálisis (MA), un ensayo clínico aleatorizado (ECA), donde solo se comparó ustekinumab con etanercept, y se incluyó un estudio observacional, PSOLARIS, donde se presentan resultados de infecciones serias comparando, entre otros agentes biológicos, a ustekinumab, infliximab y etanercept. Así, este dictamen, a excepción del estudio observacional que incluye información de infliximab, considera la misma evidencia identificada y analizada en el Dictamen Preliminar de Evaluación de Tecnología Sanitaria N.° 54-SDEPFyOTS-DETS-IETSI-2017, tal como se detalla en la descripción de los resultados del presente documento. Las dos GPC evaluadas recomiendan infliximab en pacientes que presenten psoriasis y artritis psoriásica de manera concomitante, mientras que recomiendan emplear infliximab, etanercept o ustekinumab en casos de psoriasis severa. Esta variabilidad se debe a que la elección del agente biológico depende de las características del paciente, si se da prioridad a la severidad de psoriasis, o al manejo de la artritis psoriásica concomitante. A la fecha, sólo se ha encontrado un ECA, el ensayo ACCEPT, que proporciona evidencia sobre la comparación directa entre ustekinumab y etanercept, mas no se ha encontrado un ECA sobre la comparación directa entre ustekinumab e infliximab. Este ensayo muestra que existe una diferencia estadísticamente significativa, pero moderada, en el nivel del índice de la severidad del área de Psoriasis (PASI, por sus siglas en inglés) 75 y PASI 90 entre ustekinumab y etanercept luego de la fase de inducción (12/16 semanas). Sin embargo, esto no se tradujo en una diferencia en la calidad de vida, según la evidencia indirecta obtenida de los MA Jabbar-Lopez et al., y Yiu et al. Adicionalmente, el ensayo ACCEPT no encontró diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la presentación de eventos adversos entre ambos medicamentos. Por otro lado, tal como se detalla en el Dictamen Preliminar de Evaluación de Tecnología Sanitaria N.° 054-SDEPFyOTS-DETS-IETSI-2017, se observó que el indicador PASI es subjetivo y no se ha podido comprobar su validez de criterio, ni de constructo. Al comparar ustekinumab con infliximab, el MA Jabbar-López et al., no encontró diferencias estadísticamente significativas con respecto a conseguir el objetivo terapéutico de PASI 90 a las 12/16 semanas de tratamiento, o una mejora en la calidad de vida; mientras que sí presenta una reducción en la presentación de eventos adversos a las 12/16 semanas de tratamiento. Por otro lado, en el caso de la diferencia entre ambos medicamentos en relación con el objetivo terapéutico PASI 75, se muestra un intervalo de confianza (IC) con un límite superior muy cercano al valor nulo de significancia estadística, por lo que debe interpretarse de manera cuidadosa, junto con otros indicadores de eficacia. CONCLUSIÓN: el Instituto de Evaluaciones de Tecnologías en Salud e Investigación - IETSI no aprueba el uso de ustekinumab para el manejo de los pacientes con diagnóstico de psoriasis vulgar severa y artropatía psoriásica con respuesta inadecuada a fototerapia y terapia sistémica convencional, que no han recibido terapia biológica previa, y exista el riesgo de reactivación de TBC.

Drugs for discoid lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is a chronic form of cutaneous lupus, which can cause scarring. Many drugs have been used to treat this disease and some (such as thalidomide, cyclophosphamide and azathioprine) are potentially toxic. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2000, and previously updated in 2009. We wanted to update the review to assess whether any new information was available to treat DLE, as we were still unsure of the effectiveness of available drugs and how to select the most appropriate treatment for an individual with DLE. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of drugs for discoid lupus erythematosus. SEARCH METHODS: We updated our searches of the following databases to 22 September 2016: the Cochrane Skin Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and LILACS. We also searched five trials databases, and checked the reference lists of included studies for further references to relevant trials. Index Medicus (1956 to 1966) was handsearched and we approached authors for information about unpublished trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of drugs to treat people with DLE in any population group and of either gender. Comparisons included any drug used for DLE against either another drug or against placebo cream. We excluded laser treatment, surgery, phototherapy, other forms of physical therapy, and photoprotection as we did not consider them drug treatments. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: At least two reviewers independently extracted data onto a data extraction sheet, resolving disagreements by discussion. We used standard methods to assess risk of bias, as expected by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS: Five trials involving 197 participants were included. Three new trials were included in this update. None of the five trials were of high quality.'Risk of bias' assessments identified potential sources of bias in each study. One study used an inappropriate randomisation method, and incomplete outcome data were a concern in another as 15 people did not complete the trial. We found most of the trials to be at low risk in terms of blinding, but three of the five did not describe allocation concealment.The included trials inadequately addressed the primary outcome measures of this review (percentage with complete resolution of skin lesions, percentage with clearing of erythema in at least 50% of lesions, and improvement in patient satisfaction/quality of life measures).One study of fluocinonide cream 0.05% (potent steroid) compared with hydrocortisone cream 1% (low-potency steroid) in 78 people reported complete resolution of skin lesions in 27% (10/37) of participants in the fluocinonide cream group and in 10% (4/41) in the hydrocortisone group, giving a 17% absolute benefit in favour of fluocinonide (risk ratio (RR) 2.77, 95% CI 0.95 to 8.08, 1 study, n = 78, low-quality evidence). The other primary outcome measures were not reported. Adverse events did not require discontinuation of the drug. Skin irritation occurred in three people using hydrocortisone, and one person developed acne. Burning occurred in two people using fluocinonide (moderate-quality evidence).A comparative trial of two oral agents, acitretin (50 mg daily) and hydroxychloroquine (400 mg daily), reported two of the outcomes of interest: complete resolution was seen in 13 of 28 participants (46%) on acitretin and 15 of 30 participants (50%) on hydoxychloroquine (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.59, 1 study, n = 58, low-quality evidence). Clearing of erythema in at least 50% of lesions was reported in 10 of 24 participants (42%) on acitretin and 17 of 25 (68%) on hydroxychloroquine (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.06, 1 study, n = 49, low-quality evidence). This comparison did not assess improvement in patient satisfaction/quality of life measures. Participants taking acitretin showed a small increase in serum triglyceride, not sufficient to require withdrawal of the drug. The main adverse effects were dry lips (93% of the acitretin group and 20% of the hydroxychloroquine group) and gastrointestinal disturbance (11% of the acitretin group and 17% of the hydroxychloroquine group). Four participants on acitretin withdrew due to gastrointestinal events or dry lips (moderate-quality evidence).One trial randomised 10 people with DLE to apply a calcineurin inhibitor, pimecrolimus 1% cream, or a potent steroid, betamethasone 17-valerate 0.1% cream, for eight weeks. The study reported none of the primary outcome measures, nor did it present data on adverse events.A trial of calcineurin inhibitors compared tacrolimus cream 0.1% with placebo (vehicle) over 12 weeks in 14 people, but reported none of our primary outcome measures. In the tacrolimus group, five participants complained of slight burning and itching, and for one participant, a herpes simplex infection was reactivated (moderate-quality evidence).Topical R-salbutamol 0.5% cream was compared with placebo (vehicle) over eight weeks in one trial of 37 people with DLE. There was a significant improvement in pain and itch in the salbutamol group at two, four, six, and eight weeks compared to placebo, but the trial did not record a formal measure of quality of life. None of the primary outcome measures were reported. Changes in erythema did not show benefit of salbutamol over placebo, but we could not obtain from the trial report the number of participants with clearing of erythema in at least 50% of lesions. There were 15 events in the placebo group (experienced by 12 participants) and 24 in the salbutamol group (experienced by nine participants). None of the adverse events were considered serious (moderate-quality evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Fluocinonide cream may be more effective than hydrocortisone in clearing DLE skin lesions. Hydroxychloroquine and acitretin appear to be of equal efficacy in terms of complete resolution, although adverse effects might be more frequent with acitretin, and clearing of erythema in at least 50% of lesions occurred less often in participants applying acitretin. Moderate-quality evidence found adverse events were minor on the whole. There is not enough reliable evidence about other drugs used to treat DLE. Overall, the quality of the trials and levels of uncertainty were such that there is a need for further trials of sufficient duration comparing, in particular, topical steroids with other agents.

Efficacy and safety of total glucosides of paeony combined with acitretin in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Although acitretin has been widely used for the treatment of psoriasis, additional safer and more effective approaches, including traditional Chinese medicine, are needed. To investigate the efficacy and safety of total glucosides of paeony (TGP) combined with acitretin in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre clinical study was conducted. In total, 108 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis were randomly assigned to treatment with "TGP plus acitretin" (group A) or "placebo plus acitretin" (group B) for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks of therapy, the percentage of patients achieving a 50% reduction in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index was 90% in group A and 70.5% in group B (p<0.05). The rate of serum alanine aminotransferase elevation was 6.25% in group A and 20.4% in group B (p<0.05). TGP is conducive to enhancing anti-psoriatic efficacy and reducing liver damage due to acitretin. TGP combined with acitretin is a safe and effective treatment approach for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Small Molecules for Psoriasis.

Acitretin is an older, oral, non-immunosuppressive medication for the treatment of psoriasis. Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor that has been studied for use in psoriasis. Each offers efficacy in certain settings and patient types but carries substantial safety risks.

Is Oral Chinese Herbal Medicine Beneficial for Psoriasis Vulgaris? A Meta-Analysis of Comparisons with Acitretin.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic disease that significantly affects patient's quality of life and poses an economic burden. Acitretin is a second-generation retinoid used for psoriasis in clinical practice. Orally administered Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), alone or combined with acitretin, has been used for the clinical management of psoriasis vulgaris. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of oral CHM in comparison with acitretin and the add-on effect of oral CHM to acitretin. METHODS: Five English databases and four Chinese databases were searched from their inceptions to May 2014. Included randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) were published in English or Chinese, compared oral CHM or the combination of oral CHM and acitretin with acitretin, and used Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) as the outcome measure. RESULTS: A total of 25 RCTs were included in this review: 8 studies compared oral CHM with acitretin, 12 compared the combination with acitretin alone, and 5 were three-arm studies that compared both with acitretin. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis indicated that oral CHM was effective for psoriasis vulgaris as follows: (1) Oral CHM is neither superior nor inferior to acitretin, and (2) oral CHM could produce add-on effects when combined with acitretin. Oral CHM itself appeared safe for treating psoriasis vulgaris and possibly could reduce the common adverse events seen with acitretin. However, the long-term effect and safety of oral CHM could not be assessed. Further research should consider including a placebo control and using outcome measures according to international guidelines to evaluate CHM, as well as include follow-ups to monitor longer-term efficacy and safety.

Treatments for Cutaneous Lichen Planus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous lichen planus (CLP) is an inflammatory dermatosis. Its chronic relapsing course and frequently spontaneous regression hamper the assessment of treatment effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of available treatment modalities for CLP. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.gov registry. METHODS: We performed a systematic review of the current literature. All randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized case-control studies, and cohort studies with more than one treatment arm were included. The primary outcomes were complete response and time to complete response. The secondary outcomes were partial response, relapse, time to relapse, reduction of itch, the adverse event rate, and withdrawal due to adverse events. DATA SYNTHESIS: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 11 were randomized controlled trials. Most trials had a small sample size. In the rare studies in which variants other than generalized or classic lichen planus were included, they could not be analyzed separately. Body-of-evidence quality ranged from very low to moderate. Acitretin, sulfasalazine, and griseofulvin were associated with increased overall response rates in comparison with placebo. Narrow-band ultraviolet B radiation (NBUVB) was more effective than 6 weeks' low-dose prednisolone in achieving a complete response, and prednisolone was more effective than enoxaparin. Hydroxychloroquine was more effective than griseofulvin in achieving an overall response. Betamethasone valerate 0.1% ointment had comparable efficacy to calcipotriol ointment. Methotrexate was effective, with a nonsignificant difference in the complete response rate in comparison with oral betamethasone. In nonrandomized controlled trials, oral psoralen plus ultraviolet A photochemotherapy (PUVA) had comparable efficacy to a PUVA bath and NBUVB. Psoralen plus sunlight exposure (PUVASOL) and betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% cream were effective relative to a short course of oral metronidazole. CONCLUSIONS: Several effective treatment options are available for CLP. Further well-designed studies are warranted to investigate the efficacy of topical glucocorticoids-the current first-line therapy-as well as other treatment modalities, and the treatment of different variants of CLP.

Successful treatment of palmoplantar pustulosis with isotretinoin.

IMPORTANCE: Variably considered as a localized subtype of pustular psoriasis, palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is commonly treated with topical steroids, acitretin, and local phototherapy with oral or topical psoralen (PUVA). The utility of acitretin for PPP is limited by adverse effects such as myalgias and an extended risk of teratogenicity in female patients. Isotretinoin is a more tolerable retinoid with a shorter teratogenic window, but to date its effectiveness in PPP has not been reported. Herein we present two patients with PPP who responded well to isotretinoin treatment. OBSERVATIONS: Two patients with PPP refractory to topical therapies were started on acitretin. Both patients developed adverse effects (including headache, myalgias, and mood alterations) leading to acitretin discontinuation. Isotretinoin monotherapy was started in one patient resulting in significant clearing of palmar plaques and scale, and the addition of isotretinoin to UVA therapy resulted in near-complete clearing of recalcitrant plantar plaques in the second patient. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Acitretin represents an important treatment for PPP, but is limited by adverse effects and extended teratogenicity. Our experience supports the utility of isotretinoin as a potential therapeutic alternative, which may be particularly beneficial in patients who are poor candidates for or unable to tolerate acitretin therapy.

Vitamin D Deficiency After Oral Retinoid Therapy for Ichthyosis.

Oral retinoids are being increasingly used to treat ichthyotic disorders in children. We report on two children with ichthyotic disorders who developed unusual manifestations after they were started on oral retinoids. The first case is a 10-year-old girl with nonbullous ichthyosiform erythroderma and the second is a 2-year-old girl with lamellar ichthyosis. The child with ichthyosiform erythroderma developed features of rickets within months of initiation of systemic retinoids. Her baseline examination before initiation of oral retinoids was normal. The second patient with lamellar ichthyosis was found to have low vitamin D levels after 6 months of retinoid therapy, and prompt supplementation reversed the levels in 2 months. These cases are being reported to bring attention to the probable need for initiation of vitamin D supplementation with systemic retinoid therapy in ichthyotic disorders in children.

From the Medical Board of the National Psoriasis Foundation: The risk of cardiovascular disease in individuals with psoriasis and the potential impact of current therapies.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have identified cardiovascular risk factors in patients with psoriasis. Some psoriasis therapies may increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) and others may decrease CVD. OBJECTIVE: We reviewed the literature to define the impact of common psoriasis therapies on cardiovascular measures and outcomes. RESULTS: Phototherapy has no major cardiovascular impact and may reduce levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Acitretin increases serum lipids and triglycerides, but has not been shown to increase cardiovascular risk. Cyclosporine A increases blood pressure, serum triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Methotrexate is associated with a decreased risk of CVD morbidity and mortality. Among the biologics, data for tumor necrosis factor inhibitors suggest an overall reduction in cardiovascular events. Most data on short-term ustekinumab use suggest no effect on major adverse cardiovascular events, however some authorities remain concerned. Nevertheless, ustekinumab use over a 4-year period shows a decrease in major adverse cardiovascular events when compared both with the general US population and with psoriatics in Great Britain. LIMITATIONS: Most studies lack the power and randomization of large clinical trials and long-term follow-up periods. In addition, the increased risk of CVD associated with psoriasis itself is a confounding factor. CONCLUSION: Some therapies for moderate to severe psoriasis, including methotrexate and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, may reduce cardiovascular events in psoriatic patients. Ustekinumab appears to be neutral but there may be a long-term benefit. Appropriate patient counseling and selection and clinical follow-up are necessary to maximize safety with these agents. Further long-term study is necessary to quantify the benefits and risks associated with biologic therapies.

Acitretin prescribing patterns in women of childbearing potential.

BACKGROUND: Acitretin is indicated for severe psoriasis, but it is also a potent teratogen whose use should be avoided in women of childbearing potential. Topical medications, phototherapy, cyclosporine A, and new biologic agents provide safer alternatives for women of childbearing age with moderate to severe psoriasis. PURPOSE: To determine the demographics of acitretin prescribing patterns as an assessment of acitretin use in women of child-bearing potential. METHODS: We examined National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data from the years 1990-2009 to determine demographic data on patients who were prescribed etretinate or acitretin. We used age under 50 as a proxy for childbearing potential. RESULTS: From 1996-2009, there were an estimated 29 million office visits for psoriasis. Females accounted for 14.3 million of these visits, and 6.5 million (45.6%) of them were under the age of 50. The NAMCS contained only one record of a female patient under the age of 50 being prescribed acitretin from 1996-2009, the years during which acitretin had been available in the United States. This corresponds to an estimated 2.3% of all psoriasis patients prescribed acitretin during this time (20,000 out of 890,000). LIMITATIONS: The NAMCS estimates national trends based on a large nationwide database. While the use of acitretin in women under 50 is low, the precision of the estimate is limited by the small sample size provided by this database. CONCLUSIONS: There are now many alternative treatments besides acitretin for women of childbearing potential with moderate to severe psoriasis. Acitretin is used at most infrequently in this population. In females of reproductive potential, acitretin should be reserved for non-pregnant patients who are unresponsive to other therapies or whose clinical condition contraindicates the use of other treatments.