A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the addition of methotrexate to etanercept in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Etanercept plus methotrexate combination therapy has not been adequately investigated in psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate etanercept plus methotrexate vs. etanercept monotherapy in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who had not failed prior methotrexate or tumour necrosis factor-inhibitor therapy.

METHODS

Patients received etanercept 50 mg twice weekly for 12 weeks followed by 50 mg once weekly for 12 weeks and were randomized 1 : 1 to receive methotrexate (7·5-15 mg weekly) or placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving ≥75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) at week 24.

RESULTS

In total, 239 patients were enrolled in each arm. PASI 75 was significantly higher at week 24 for the combination therapy group compared with the monotherapy group (77·3% vs. 60·3%; P < 0·0001). Other PASI improvement scores at week 12 [PASI 75, 70·2% vs. 54·3% (P = 0·01); PASI 50, 92·4% vs. 83·8% (P = 0·01); and PASI 90, 34·0% vs. 23·1% (P = 0·03)] showed similar results as did week 24 PASI 50 (91·6% vs. 84·6%; P = 0·01) and PASI 90 (53·8% vs. 34·2%; P = 0·01). Significantly more patients receiving combination therapy than monotherapy had static Physician's Global Assessment of clear/almost clear at week 12 (65·5% vs. 47·0%; P = 0·01) and week 24 (71·8% vs. 54·3%; P = 0·01). Adverse events (AEs) were reported in 74·9% and 59·8% of combination therapy and monotherapy groups, respectively; three serious AEs were reported in each arm.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination therapy with etanercept plus methotrexate had acceptable tolerability and increased efficacy compared with etanercept monotherapy in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the addition of methotrexate to etanercept in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Etanercept plus methotrexate combination therapy has not been adequately investigated in psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate etanercept plus methotrexate vs. etanercept monotherapy in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who had not failed prior methotrexate or tumour necrosis factor-inhibitor therapy.

METHODS

Patients received etanercept 50 mg twice weekly for 12 weeks followed by 50 mg once weekly for 12 weeks and were randomized 1 : 1 to receive methotrexate (7·5-15 mg weekly) or placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving ≥75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) at week 24.

RESULTS

In total, 239 patients were enrolled in each arm. PASI 75 was significantly higher at week 24 for the combination therapy group compared with the monotherapy group (77·3% vs. 60·3%; P < 0·0001). Other PASI improvement scores at week 12 [PASI 75, 70·2% vs. 54·3% (P = 0·01); PASI 50, 92·4% vs. 83·8% (P = 0·01); and PASI 90, 34·0% vs. 23·1% (P = 0·03)] showed similar results as did week 24 PASI 50 (91·6% vs. 84·6%; P = 0·01) and PASI 90 (53·8% vs. 34·2%; P = 0·01). Significantly more patients receiving combination therapy than monotherapy had static Physician's Global Assessment of clear/almost clear at week 12 (65·5% vs. 47·0%; P = 0·01) and week 24 (71·8% vs. 54·3%; P = 0·01). Adverse events (AEs) were reported in 74·9% and 59·8% of combination therapy and monotherapy groups, respectively; three serious AEs were reported in each arm.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination therapy with etanercept plus methotrexate had acceptable tolerability and increased efficacy compared with etanercept monotherapy in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and the use of health services

OBJECTIVE

Prior research has demonstrated increased use of medical services among persons with anxiety and depression. This investigation examined the possible association of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with the use of nonmental health services.

METHOD

A case-comparison design enrolled 102 high users of health services and 54 low users who were assessed for PTSD diagnosis and severity of PTSD symptoms. Subjects were male veterans receiving services from the primary care clinics of the VA Boston Healthcare System during an 18-month period. Data were collected by interview by use of standardized instruments including the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-IV, the Life Events Checklist, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Data analysis employed odds ratios, linear and logistic regression, and path analyses.

RESULTS

High users of health care were almost twice as likely as low users (27.5% vs. 14.8%) to meet diagnostic criteria for current PTSD. The two groups differed significantly on both symptom frequency and intensity. Path analyses showed an indirect positive association between PTSD and health services use, with physician-diagnosed health conditions as a mediating variable. Auxiliary analysis demonstrated that the combined mental health burden of PTSD and depression symptoms also is positively associated with number of health conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that PTSD, alone and in combination with depression, has a direct negative relationship with physical health that, in turn, is associated with more frequent use of primary health care services. These results do not suggest that PTSD leads to inappropriate (eg, distress-motivated) use of services.