Striking and Rapid Improvement of Plaque Psoriasis with Infliximab

Abstract

Infliximab, an anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-α antibody, is a new line of therapy for psoriasis on the basis that tumor necrosis factor α antibody plays an important role in the pathogenesis of this disease. We report 2 patients with severe active psoriatic arthritis despite treatment with methotrexate. Both patients were started on infliximab infusion at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight for their active psoriatic arthritis to be given according to a specific treatment protocol. Dramatic improvement of their psoriatic skin lesions was noted concomitantly with improvement in their arthritis symptoms shortly after starting the treatment program. No side effects were noted by the patients during their treatment course.

Psoriasis: immunopathogenesis and evolving immunomodulators and systemic therapies; U.S. experiences

“…Up to 82% of patients treated with infliximab achieved a > 75% response in PASI which correlated with a reduction of synovitis and magnetic resonance imaging findings of the joints within 10 weeks 105 . Al‐Salem reports two cases with severe active psoriatic arthritis who both demonstrated dramatic improvement in their psoriatic skin lesions as well as concomitant improvement in their arthritis symptoms after receiving infliximab infusion at a dose of 5 mg kg −1 106 …”

“…In addition, because infliximab induces complement‐mediated lysis of cells, there is a higher incidence of tuberculosis compared with the background population. For this reason, tuberculin skin testing is required on all patients undergoing therapy with infliximab 106 …”