Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Elderly Patients: Clinical and Therapeutical Outcomes-A Review of the Literature.

The management of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in elderly patients presents unique challenges due to its chronic inflammatory nature, heterogeneous clinical presentation and comorbidities. While HS typically affects the anogenital and intertriginous regions, elderly patients may exhibit atypical features such as the involvement of the neck, mammary area and gluteal region. The prevalence of HS in the elderly population is lower and the average age of disease onset is higher than in patients under 65. In contrast, it is unclear whether HS in the elderly has different clinical features. The elderly frequently present multiple comorbidities, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, which further complicate management decisions. Therapeutic interventions must consider the frailty and increased risk of multimorbidity and adverse events in elderly patients. While systemic antibiotics remain a mainstay of HS treatment, biologic agents such as TNFα inhibitors and secukinumab offer promising options for refractory cases. However, their safety and efficacy in elderly patients, particularly those with multiple comorbidities, require careful consideration. A comprehensive approach to managing HS in elderly patients involves not only pharmacological interventions but also lifestyle modifications and surgical options where appropriate. Multidisciplinary collaboration between dermatologists, geriatricians and other specialists is essential for tailoring treatment strategies and optimizing long-term outcomes and quality of life in special population.

Tralokinumab for the Treatment of Adult Atopic Dermatitis in Special Populations.

Introduction: Even if mild forms of atopic dermatitis (AD) are usually well controlled with topical prescription drugs and emollients, the management of severe forms of the disease may be challenging, especially in special populations (SPs). These patients include groups of disadvantaged people (elderly, patients with disabilities and serious medical conditions) who are usually excluded from clinical trials. As a consequence, most of the data about the efficacy and safety of a drug in these patients derives from post-marketing experiences. In this context, the aim of our study was to retrospectively investigate the effectiveness and safety of tralokinumab in the management of AD in SPs. Methods: A 24-weeks retrospective, dual-center study was performed enrolling patients with a diagnosis of moderate-to-severe AD undergoing treatment with tralokinumab at labelled dosage. Disease severity was assessed using Eczema Area Severity Index (EASI), Pruritus-Numerical Rating Scale (P-NRS), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score at baseline and after 4 weeks (W4), W16, and W24. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored at the same timepoints. Statistical significance of clinical improvement (EASI, P-NRS, DLQI) at week 4, week 16, and week 24 as compared with baseline was evaluated by using Student's t-test, considering significant a p-value <0.05. Results: Our study enrolling 27 SPs patients showed a significant improvement in EASI and P-NRS since week 4, continuing to improve up to week 24. Similarly, DLQI significantly decreases at each timepoint as compared with baseline. Finally, no AEs were reported during the study period. Of interest, our cohort included oncologic patients, a patient with a history of severe infection, as well as subjects affected by severe neurological, psychiatric, pulmonary, and/or cardiovascular disease. Discussion: Our experience showed that tralokinumab is effective and safe in elderly patients and subjects affected by severe comorbidities.

Effectiveness and Safety of Tildrakizumab in Psoriasis Patients Who Failed Anti-IL17 Treatment: A 28-Week Real-Life Study.

Tildrakizumab is a humanised IgG1/k-type monoclonal antibody that targets the p19 protein subunit of IL23. Despite its effectiveness and safety have been widely reported by clinical trials and real-life experiences, data regarding its use on patients who previously failed anti-IL17 (brodalumab, ixekizumab, bimekizumab and/or secukinumab) are scant. Therefore, further studies on this topic would be beneficial for clinicians in guiding the selection of biologic shifting, considering that anti-IL23, -12/23, and -IL17 partially share their therapeutic targets. In this context, we performed a 28-week, single-center, real-life, retrospective study, with the aim of assessing the efficacy and safety of tildrakizumab in patients who previously failed anti-IL17, also focusing the attention on psoriasis located in difficult-to-treat areas (scalp, palms or soles, fingernails, genitals). A total of 23 patients (12 male, 52.2%; mean age 52.8 ± 12.4 years) were enrolled. Of these, 11 (47.8%) failed secukinumab, 7 (30.4%) ixekizumab, 3 (13.0%) brodalumab, 1 (4.3%) both secukinumab and ixekizumab and 1 (4.3%) bimekizumab. At baseline, mean PASI and BSA were 12.8 ± 5.9 and 18.7 ± 9.6, respectively. At W16 PASI75 and PASI90 response were achieved by 15 (65.2%), and 9 (39.1%) patients, respectively, whereas 19 (82.6%) and 13 (56.6%) subjects reached these scores at W28. One (4.3%) case of primary inefficacy and 1 (4.3%) case of secondary inefficacy were assessed. Finally, no severe adverse events were collected. Tildrakizumab seems to be a valuable option in selected patients with psoriasis unresponsive to anti-IL17, suggesting that prior exposure to biological therapies seem not directly affect its effectiveness.