GRAPPA Point-Counterpoint: Should Biologics Be Used for Mild Psoriasis?

Psoriasis (PsO) is commonly classified as mild, moderate, or severe, usually based on body surface area (BSA) or other validated measures. Although most dermatologists agree that mild PsO should be treated with topical therapies, there are circumstances where mild or limited PsO should be treated with biologics, even as first line. A debate about use of topical vs biologic therapy was presented at the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2023 annual meeting. Arguments in favor of using biologics when patients have mild disease on limited BSA included presence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and symptoms on special sites (ie, scalp, face, body folds, genitals, nails, palms, soles). New data suggest that treating limited or early PsO may decrease the risk of developing PsA. Arguments against using biologics for mild PsO focused on the definition of mild PsO, citing that limited BSA with PsA and significant quality of life impact should not be defined as mild. Truly mild PsO should be treated with topical agents, given their safety and relative low cost. The availability of newer agents like roflumilast and tapinarof have expanded therapeutic choice and have data supporting their use for treatment of special sites.

Report of the IDEOM Meeting Adjacent to the GRAPPA 2023 Annual Meeting.

The nonprofit organization International Dermatology Outcome Measures (IDEOM) is committed to improving the implementation of patient-centered outcome measures in dermatologic disease. At a conference adjacent to the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2023 annual meeting, the IDEOM Psoriatic Disease Workgroup presented updates on recent efforts in outcome measure advancement. Dr. Alice Gottlieb presented the preliminary findings of a study within the Mount Sinai Health System that aims to determine how well the IDEOM musculoskeletal (MSK) symptom framework, which uses the Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool (PEST) and the Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID) instruments, functions in clinical settings. Drs. Joseph Merola and Lourdes Perez-Chada updated attendees on the IDEOM MSK-Q, a 9-item patient-reported questionnaire designed to measure the intensity and impact of MSK symptoms on the quality of life in patients with psoriasis (PsO) with or without psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Dr. Vibeke Strand summarized the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) 2023 conference sessions. Dr. April Armstrong discussed the preliminary findings of a multicentered study designed to validate the 7-item Dermatology Treatment Satisfaction Instrument (DermSat-7) among patients with PsO. She also introduced the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment Satisfaction Instrument, a tool that seeks to capture the level of patient satisfaction with current therapy for PsO and PsA. This report summarizes the developments discussed at the IDEOM PsO and PsA research workgroups during the GRAPPA 2023 annual meeting.