Clinical course of psoriasis patients that discontinued biologics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Since psoriasis is a chronic disease, it is not recommended to discontinue the treatment agents used. However, in real life, the treatment of psoriasis patients may be interrupted for various reasons. During the pandemic period, the treatment of many patients was also interrupted. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate relapse and clinical worsening in psoriasis patients whose biological therapy was interrupted during the pandemic and reveal associated factors. METHODS: The study included patients aged ≥18 years, who were followed up with moderate and severe chronic psoriasis controlled by the last biological agent [Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) 75 response achieved] but had to discontinue their treatment during the pandemic. The patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, clinical course after the discontinuation of these agents, presence of clinical worsening, and relapse were evaluated. Risk factors were analyzed with the logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The study included 169 patients, with a mean age of 47.3 ± 14.5 (18-87) years. The mean biologics-free time was 18.2 ± 12.3 (2-56) weeks. Clinical worsening was detected in 41.4% and relapse in 48.5% of the patients. The significant risk factors for clinical worsening and relapse in both univariate and multivariate analyses were alcohol use during the biologics-free period, total time off biologics, and the presence of an additional triggering factor. The use of secukinumab and ustekinumab was found to be a protective factor against clinical worsening in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: As the biologics-free period is prolonged, the likelihood of clinical worsening and relapse increases, therefore, we do not recommend discontinuing biological agents.

Skin manifestations following anti-COVID-19 vaccination: A multicentricstudy from Turkey.

PURPOSE: After the emergence of the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus, vaccination with various vaccines has started to be implemented across the world. To identify dermatological reactions developing after the COVID-19 vaccines administered in Turkey and determine their clinical features and risk factors that may play a role in their development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included patients aged ≥18 years, who presented to 13 different dermatology clinics in Turkey between July 2021 and September 2021 after developing dermatological reactions following the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. After providing written consent, the patients were asked to complete a standard survey including questions related to age, gender, occupation, comorbidities, the regular medication used, the onset of cutaneous reactions after vaccination, and localization of reactions. Dermatological reactions were categorized according to whether they developed after the first or second dose of the vaccine or whether they occurred after the inactivated or messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine. The relationship between dermatological reactions and some variables such as gender and comorbidities was also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 269 patients [116 women (43.1%), 153 men (56.9%)] were included in the study. It was observed that the dermatological diseases and reactions that most frequently developed after vaccination were urticaria (25.7%), herpes zoster (24.9%), maculopapular eruption (12.3%), and pityriasis rosea (4.5%). The rate of dermatological reactions was 60.6% after the administration of the mRNA vaccine and 39.4% after that of the inactivated vaccine. There was a statistically significantly higher number of reactions among the patients that received the mRNA vaccine (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The most common reactions in our sample were urticaria, herpes zoster, and maculopapular eruption. Physicians should know the dermatological side effects of COVID-19 vaccines and their clinical features.

Evaluation of the efficacy, safety, and side effects of secukinumab in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis: real-world data from a retrospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical studies have demonstrated that IL-17A inhibition with secukinumab is effective for clearing the skin of patients with psoriasis and has a favorable safety profile. OBJECTIVE: The authors aim to determine whether secukinumab is effective and safe for the treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic psoriasis based on clinical experience with this drug. METHOD: The authors conducted a multicenter retrospective study in nine referral centers and included patients with psoriasis who had received secukinumab between March 2018 to November 2020. Data on demographic characteristics, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores, and previous treatments were collected from medical records. Patients were evaluated at 12, 24, and 52 weeks with respect to response to treatment and side effects. RESULTS: In total, 229 patients were recruited for the study. A PASI score improvement of ≥90 points over the baseline was achieved by 79%, 69.8%, and 49.3% of patients at weeks 12, 24, and 52, respectively. The most common adverse events wereCandida infections and fatigue. In total, 74 (32%) patients discontinued treatment by week 52, including due to adverse events, or secondary ineffectiveness. STUDY LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that secukinumab therapy is reasonably effective in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Comorbidities and time length of the disease can affect the response to treatment. The rates of adverse events were high in this patient population.

Are irisin levels associated with inflammation and insulin resistance in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis?

BACKGROUND: A wide variety of effects of irisin, as a myokine and adipokine, have been reported. Although there are some clues about its role in the modulation of immune response in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated diseases such as psoriasis, it has not yet been clearly elucidated. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship of irisin levels with inflammation and insulin resistance in patients with psoriasis. METHODS: This study was conducted in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis and healthy subjects who were admitted to Haseki Training and Research Hospital. In addition to routine laboratory analyses, hs-CRP, insulin, irisin, adiponectin, and leptin levels were measured. The association between irisin levels and study variables was assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: A total of 42 non-diabetic patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis and 43 healthy subjects were enrolled. The mean irisin, waist circumference, insulin, insulin resistance, and hs-CRP, and frequency of metabolic syndrome were significantly higher in psoriasis patients than healthy controls. Psoriasis and control groups were similar in terms of adiponectin, leptin, and Body Mass Index levels. Also, hs-CRP levels were positively and strongly correlated with irisin, adiponectin, and leptin levels. The median irisin level was 2.15 µg/mL. In the binary logistic regression analysis, CRP level (OR=1.14, 95% CI 1.005-1.29, P=0.042) and a BMI>30 kg/m2 (OR=5.9, 95% CI 1.02-34.4, P=0.048) were independent predictors of a higher irisin level. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that serum irisin levels are higher in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis than in healthy subjects. Irisin seems to be associated with inflammation, as measured by hs-CRP. More comprehensive studies are needed to clarify the effect of irisin, on immune-modulate response in patients with psoriasis.

Adherence to systemic therapy in patients with psoriasis during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to treatment is important in chronic dermatological diseases. There are limited data regarding the adherence to treatment in patients with psoriasis during the COVID-19 pandemic. AIMS: We aimed to determine the rates of adherence to systemic treatments in patients with psoriasis and to identify the causes of non-adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional multicenter study from May 2021 to August 2021. A questionnaire including items regarding sociodemographic characteristics of the patients, disease-related characteristics, and treatment-related characteristics were filled out by the physicians. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), Hospital Anxiety, and Depression Scale, and the Dermatology Life Quality Index were calculated. The rate of adherence and non-adherence to treatment and reasons for non-adherence to treatment were examined. RESULTS: A total of 342 patients with psoriasis were included (182 male/160 female) in the study. The mean age of the patients was 45.9 ± 14.2 years. The average duration of psoriasis was 192 ± 134.7 months. While the rate of adherence to treatment was 57.6%, the rate of non-adherence to treatment was 42.4%. There were no significant differences with respect to adherence to treatment in comparison with oral and injection-therapy groups. The most frequent reasons for non-adherence to treatment were inability to go to the hospital (19.2%), concern about the COVID-19 infection (16.3%), discontinuation of the treatment by the doctor (13.7%), inability to reach the doctor (7.3%), and inability to have access to the medication (7.3%). CONCLUSION: Adherence to oral and injection therapies was fairly high among our patients with psoriasis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psoriasis severity and duration of medication use had a negative impact on adherence to treatment.

Occupational facial dermatoses related to mask use in healthcare professionals.

BACKGROUND: Mask use can lead to facial dermatoses due to factors, such as hyperhydration, seborrhea, high humidity caused by sweating, and the occlusive effect of the mask. AIM: We investigated mask-related facial dermatoses in healthcare personnel who, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, had to wear a mask for long hours. METHODS: In this study, healthcare professionals working at Medipol Mega University Hospital since the beginning of the pandemic were screened for facial dermatoses between December 2020 and February 2021 with a dermatological examination and interview. RESULTS: Of the 101 healthcare professionals, 51 (50.5%) were doctors and 50 (49.5%) nurses, and 36 (35.6%) were male and 65 (64.4%) were female. All the participants had been actively working at the hospital for 35-46 weeks since the beginning of the pandemic and wearing N95 or surgical masks for an average of 6-13 h a day. During the dermatological examination, the most common facial dermatosis was acne, which was observed in 55.4% (n = 56) of the cases. Of the 56 acne cases, 41.1% (n = 23) had acne in their history, while 58.9% (n = 33) had new-onset acne. Being female, using a N95 surgical mask compared to surgical mask, and the daily average duration of mask use were determined as risk factors for acne development due to mask use. CONCLUSIONS: The use of masks, more frequently N95, caused both an increase in existing acne and the development of new acne.

Has the COVID-19 pandemic changed attitudes and behaviors concerning cosmetic care and procedures among patients presenting to the dermatology outpatient clinic? A multicenter study with 1437 participants.

BACKGROUND: The rate of cosmetic procedures and use of skincare products is considered to be affected during the pandemic period; however, this has not been investigated yet. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the ongoing pandemic has changed people's habits related to skincare products and cosmetic procedures. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter survey study covering both private and public hospitals. Sociodemographic characteristics and clinical diagnoses of the patients were noted by dermatologists. A survey was used to determine the type and application areas of skincare products and cosmetic procedures before and during the pandemic, whether the patients were concerned about being infected, and any change in the make-up habits of female patients. RESULTS: Of the 1437 patients, 86.7% presented to the hospital due to dermatological complaints and 13.3% for cosmetic procedures. The rate of those that did not use skincare products was 0.05% before and 0.06% during the pandemic. Of the participants, 43.2% had undergone cosmetic procedures before and 38.1% during the pandemic. For both periods, the most frequent cosmetic procedure applied was laser epilation, followed by skincare treatment and chemical peeling. While undergoing these procedures, 34.9% of the patients were concerned about contracting coronavirus. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in the use of skincare products and cosmetic procedures before and during the pandemic. The majority of the patients continued to undergo these procedures despite their fear of being infected. This shows that during the pandemic period, patients are concerned with their appearance and continue to undergo cosmetic procedures and pay attention to their skincare.

Drug survival and predictor factors for discontinuation of methotrexate in psoriasis: a real-life multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Drug survival is useful to evaluate long-term drug performance in daily practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate drug survival for methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy in patients with plaque-type psoriasis. METHODS: We reviewed 3,512 follow-up charts of patients with psoriasis at five tertiary referral centers between January 2012 and January 2020. We analyzed baseline data and treatment outcomes of patients under MTX monotherapy. Drug survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: Patients with psoriasis who were treated with MTX monotherapy were enrolled (N = 649). The median duration of drug survival was 15 months (95% CI: 13.2-16.8). The overall drug survival rate was 54.7%, 17.4%, and 8% after 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The main reasons for discontinuation were adverse effects (n = 209, 32.2%) and inefficacy (n = 105, 15.6%). Based on multivariate Cox regression analysis, the presence of nausea/vomiting (HR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.49-2.71; P < 0.001) was observed as a statistically significant risk factor for drug discontinuation. Age over 50 years (HR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.97; P = 0.03) and using MTX dose ≥15 mg/weekly were positive predictors for drug survival (HR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.54-0.95; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The average drug survival of MTX was 15 months. MTX is still the first-line treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, as highlighted in guidelines. To prevent premature discontinuation, physicians need to look at the response time of at least 16-24 weeks, especially when a stepwise dose increment is used. The presence of nausea/vomiting seemed to be associated with an approximately twofold risk of discontinuation.

Drug survival and safety profile of acitretin monotherapy in patients with psoriasis: A multicenter retrospective study.

Acitretin is a nonimmunosuppresive systemic agent used in the treatment of psoriasis. Despite its frequent use, research on drug survival and adverse effects is limited. This study aims to evaluate drug survival, factors associated with survival, and adverse effects. Database of the six tertiary referral center for psoriasis patients treated with acitretin between November 2014 and April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographics of patients, adverse effects, and also drug survival were analyzed. Of 412 patients, 61.2% were male, and 38.8% were female. Common clinical adverse effects were cheilitis (71.4%), dry skin (62.5%), and palmoplantar skin peeling (37.2%). High triglyceride and high total cholesterol levels were observed in 50.0% and 49.5% of patients, respectively. Median survival time (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 18 (13.6-22.4) months. Statistically significant risk factors affecting drug discontinuation were having psoriatic arthritis, age under 65, and receiving previous systemic treatment. Drug survival rates were 56.6%, 25.9%, and 19.8% at 1, 5, and 8 years, respectively. Although mucocutaneous adverse effects of the acitretin were quite frequent, severe, life-treatining ones were infrequent. This old, relatively inexpensive and safe treatment remains a good alternative for the treatment of psoriasis.

Switching Biologics in the Treatment of Psoriasis: A Multicenter Experience.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to provide evidence on the treatment choices, reasons, and results of switching between biologic agents in treating patients with psoriasis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective database search of six tertiary referral centers for pso-riasis patients between January 2007 and May 2019. We analyzed patient and treatment characteristics of all patients in the registry. RESULTS: We enrolled 427 psoriatic patients treated with biologics, and 145 (34%) required a switch to another biologic. The reasons for discontinuing the first biologic agent were inefficacy (n = 106, 62.4%), adverse events (n = 28, 16.5%), and others (n = 36, 21.2%). At week 12, there was a 67.7% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score of patients treated with their first biologic, and 51.4% reduction for the second. A drug survival analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the drug survival of first-line biologic agents, but ustekinumab had the highest survival rate among second-line biologics (log-rank p = 0.010). Multivariate analyses for overall drug discontinuation showed that the occurrence of psoriatic arthritis (OR: 1.883, 95% CI: 1.274-2.782, p = 0.001), nail involvement (OR: 2.334, 95% CI: 1.534-3.552, p < 0.001), and use of concomitant treatment (OR: 2.303, 95% CI: 1.403 -3.780, p = 0.001) are predictors for discontinuation. CONCLUSION: Discontinuation of treatment was most commonly due to inefficacy. Patients who switched to a different biologic agent showed a similar improvement in PASI scores compared to biologic-naive patients. Switching to a second biologic therapy due to inefficacy or adverse events caused by the first one may improve psoriasis.

Real-world evaluation of "Eczema in psoriatico": Bridging the gap between dermatology and dermatopathology.

The diagnosis of psoriasis is mainly made by clinical examination but on some occasions according to the localization or duration of the lesions when spongiosis is more prominent, it can be challenging and may be considered as overlapping eczema. To evaluate the patients for "eczema in psoriatico" and to present the differences between psoriasis. Biopsy outcomes of thirty-one patients who were histologically diagnosed with psoriasis and psoriasiform dermatitis because of the erythematous and scaly plaque lesions located on hands and feet, between 2013 and 2015, were evaluated retrospectively. Histopathologic findings compatible with psoriasis and accompanied by spongiosis and spongiotic vesicles were evaluated as eczema in psoriatico and compared with psoriasis. In this study thirty-one patients, including 18 patients with eczema in psoriatico and 13 patients with psoriasis of hands and/or feet were included. Of the 31 patients, 15 (48.4%) were women and 16 (51.6%) were men, in 61.3% of cases, biopsies were taken from hands (61.1% of "eczema in psoriatico", 61.5% of psoriasis) and 38.7% from feet (38.9% of "eczema in psoriatico", 38.5% of psoriasis). There was a statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of parakeratosis severity and distribution, the presence of neutrophil and plasma in stratum corneum, the presence of granular layer loss and suprapapillar plate thinning, the shape of retes, the presence of lymphocytic exocytosis, spongiosis and spongiotic vesicles, the intensity of infiltrates in the papillar dermis and the presence of dermal edema (P < .05). Histology supports a continuum between psoriasis and eczema that share histological similarities and at the same time should be considered a separate entity, eczema in psoriatico.

The impact of COVID-19 in patients with psoriasis: A multicenter study in Istanbul.

There is widespread concern about treatment of psoriasis in COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the epidemiological data, clinical characteristics, treatment features of the psoriasis patients during the pandemic period. We conducted a study in dermatology clinics of seven different tertiary centers. All adult psoriasis patients who were followed up between 11 March 2020 and 28 June 2020, were phone called or questioned in their visit to their follow-up clinics. A semistructured questionnaire was applied and patients' demographics and disease characteristics were recorded. Of 1322 patients, 52.4% were male, and 47.6% were female. According to the questionnaire responses, 964 (72.9%) of these patients could not communicate with their physician during this period, remained 358 (27.1%) patients contacted the physician by phone, email, or hospital visit. From the patients diagnosed as probable/confirmed COVID-19, 14 were female, and 9 were male. Nine of 23 (39.1%) patients were using biologic treatment. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of hospitalization from COVID-19 between the patients using biologics (n = 9) and those who did not (n = 14) (P = 1.00). No mortality was observed among them. Obesity, smoking, age, and accompanying psoriatic arthritis were not among the risk factors affecting the frequency of COVID-19. We only encountered an increased risk in diabetic patients. Also, an exacerbation of psoriasis was observed with the infection. No difference was found in patients with psoriasis in terms of COVID-19 infection in patients who use biologics and those who don't.

Evaluation of the adverse effects of biological agents used in the treatment of psoriasis: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.

The objective was to reveal and compare the adverse effects of infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, ustekinumab and secukinumab, and determine possible risk factors. The follow-up files and computer-based records of patients with psoriasis were retrospectively screened between January 2007 and September 2019. The five biological agents were compared in terms of their adverse effects, and factors that might be related to these effects were explored. While there was no statistically significant difference between the agents in terms of the rate of serious adverse effects, when all the adverse effects were evaluated together, the highest rate was seen in the use of infliximab and the lowest in secukinumab (P = .001). The rates of adverse effects and related drug discontinuation were higher in the use of anti-TNF agents compared to interleukin inhibitors (P = .004 and P = .012, respectively). The agent with the highest drug discontinuation rate due to adverse effects was infliximab while the least discontinued agent was ustekinumab (P = .036). There were more side effects with anti-TNF than interleukin inhibitors, but the serious adverse effect rate was similar in both groups. The incidence of certain adverse effects increases depending on age, number of comorbidities, biological agent and its group, concomitant systemic therapy, and use of multiple agents.

Acne in pregnancy: A prospective multicenter, cross-sectional study of 295 patients in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: There are only a few studies on acne in pregnancy. This study was aimed to investigate the demographic, clinical, and familial characteristics of acne in pregnancy, triggering factors including endocrine diseases, and association of these findings with acne in different trimesters of pregnancy. METHODS: Pregnant women aged 18 years and older with acne at any stage of pregnancy were consecutively interviewed at the participating centers during the study period from 2016 to 2019. Acne severity was evaluated using the Comprehensive Acne Severity Scale. RESULTS: A total of 295 pregnant women with acne were included, with 167 (56.6%) patients showing mild, 87 (29.5%) moderate, six (12.2%) severe, and five (1.7%) very severe acne. Truncal acne was significantly higher in the third trimester than in the other stages (P < 0.001). Onset of acne before pregnancy, prepubertal, pubertal or adult onset, or acne history in previous pregnancies did not influence acne severity in pregnancy. Women with irregular menstruation before pregnancy, polycystic ovary syndrome, hirsutism, and higher body weight index tended to show severe acne in pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Severe acne during pregnancy is generally uncommon, while severity of facial acne, truncal acne, and hirsutism is higher in the third trimester than in other trimesters. Acne in pregnancy shares many characteristics with female adult acne. Substantial changes in different kinds of hormones play a more complex role in acne during pregnancy, but the pathogenesis remains to be determined.

Multifactorial Painful Leg Ulcers Due to Hyperhomocysteinemia, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 4G/5G Heterozygote Gene Mutation, and Beta Thalassemia Minor: A Case Report.

Leg ulcers may occur due to many autoimmune, hereditary, inflammatory, and infectious causes including venous, arterial, and neuropathic ulcers. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a metabolic disorder caused by various enzyme defects in methionine metabolism. The most common cause is methylenetetrahydrofolatreductase (MTHFR) enzyme gene mutations. Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for deep vein thrombosis and peripheral arterial disease. The effects of endothelial cell damage on smooth muscle hypertrophy, platelet aggregation, coagulation, and fibrinolysis cause atherogenesis and thrombosis, leading to venous and arterial lower extremity ulcers. In this article, we report the case of a 47-year-old male patient who was admitted to our clinic due to painful leg ulcers that started 1 year ago. He had a history of vena cava inferior thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, and 40 pack-year smoking. Histopathological examination of punch biopsy taken from ulcerative lesion showed intense inflammatory infiltration in the middle dermis, erythrocyte extravasation, leukocytoclasia, and thrombus formation in a small diameter venule lumen. There were nonspecific findings in direct immunofluorescence examination. He was found as having MTHFR C677T homozygote and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 4G/5G heterozygote gene mutation with high homocysteine level of 22.90 µmol/L, and he was diagnosed as hyperhomocysteinemia. He was recommended to quit smoking because it triggered thrombosis in hyperhomocysteinemia. Herein, we present a case of hyperhomocysteinemia due to MTHFR mutation, which is one of the rare hereditary thrombophilia causes.

Assessment of quality of life in Turkish children with psoriasis and their caregivers.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The effect of pediatric psoriasis on quality of life has been demonstrated, but data regarding its influence on caregiver quality of life are scarce. The objective was to investigate how psoriasis affects quality of life of children and their caregivers. METHODS: This multicenter study included 129 children with psoriasis and their caregivers, who were family members accompanying patients to the clinic. Patient quality of life was measured using the Child Dermatology Life Quality Index. Caregiver quality of life was assessed using Dermatological Family Impact Scale, a 15-item questionnaire validated for use in the Turkish language. RESULTS: Mean Child Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 7.6, indicating a moderate effect on patient quality of life. Symptoms and feelings were the most severely impaired domains of patient quality of life, and emotions was the most severely impaired domain of caregiver quality of life. Dermatological Family Impact Scale score was significantly correlated with Child Dermatology Life Quality Index (correlation coefficient [r] = .554, P < .001) and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (r = .350, P < .001). Caregivers of patients receiving systemic agents or phototherapy had relative impairment of multiple domains of quality of life compared to caregivers of patients receiving topical treatment only. CONCLUSION: Psychosocial effect of pediatric psoriasis was shown to extend beyond the individual, highlighting the importance of addressing patient and caregiver quality of life concerns in an integrated approach.