EFFICACY OF SELECTIVE PDE-4 INHIBITOR IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIASIS: CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS

Objective: We aim to present preliminary on about the efficacy of a new drug for plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis treatment - an oral selective PDE-4 inhibitor (apremilast) in 3 psoriasis patients and evaluate apremilast efficacy and safety. Materials and methods: The study enrolled patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis who demonstrated lack of efficacy, negative side effects or intolerance to systemic therapy with methotrexate, acitretin, and phototherapy in anamnesis. Patients were administered with apremilast according to the prescription (start 10 mg daily, stepwise increase to 30 mg taken orally twice a day). The severity was estimated by PASI, BSA, sPGA, ptPGA; the patient’s quality of life was determined by DLQI. The efficacy was evaluated at week 14. Results: All patients reached significant clinical improvement (two patients reached ΔPASI50, one patient ΔPASI75, improvement of the nail plate state). Conclusion: According to our observations, apremilast is safe and effective for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, scalp and nail psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis.