Impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on the treatment of psoriasis with systemic therapies in France: Results from the PSOBIOTEQ cohort

BACKGROUND

The nature of the COVID-19 pandemic led to concerns among patients and physicians about the potential impact of immunosuppressive treatments for chronic diseases such as psoriasis on the risk of severe COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES

To describe treatment modifications and determine the incidence of COVID-19 infection among psoriasis patients during the first wave of the pandemic, and identify the factors associated with these events.

METHODS

Data from PSOBIOTEQ cohort relating to the first COVID-19 wave in France (March to June, 2020), as well as a patient-centred COVID-19 questionnaire, were used to evaluate the impact of lockdown on changes (discontinuations, delays or reductions) in systemic therapies, and to determine the incidence of COVID-19 cases among these patients. Logistic regression models were used to assess associated factors.

RESULTS

Among the 1751 respondents (89.3%), 282 patients (16.9%) changed their systemic treatment for psoriasis, with 46.0% of these changes being initiated by the patients themselves. Patients were more likely to experience psoriasis flare-ups during the first wave if they changed their treatment during this period (58.7% vs 14.4%; P < 0.0001). Changes to systemic therapies were less frequent among patients with cardiovascular diseases (P < 0.001), and those aged ≥ 65 years (P = 0.02). Overall, 45 patients (2.9%) reported having COVID-19, and eight (17.8%) required hospitalization. Risk factors for COVID-19 infection were close contact with a positive case (P < 0.001) and living in a region with a high incidence of COVID-19 (P < 0.001). Factors associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 were avoiding seeing a physician (P = 0.002), systematically wearing a mask during outings (P = 0.011) and being a current smoker (P = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONS

Discontinuation of systemic psoriasis treatments during the first COVID-19 wave (16.9%) - mainly decided by patients themselves (46.0%) - was associated with a higher incidence of disease flares (58.7% vs 14.4%). This observation and factors associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 highlight the need to maintain and adapt patient-physician communication during health crises according to patient profiles, with the aim of avoiding unnecessary treatment discontinuations and ensuring that patients are informed about the risk of infection and the importance of complying with hygiene rules.

Switches between biologics in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis: results from the French cohort PSOBIOTEQ

BACKGROUND

Biologics are the cornerstone of treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and switches between biologics are frequently needed to maintain clinical improvement over time.

OBJECTIVES

The main purpose of this study was to describe precisely switches between biologics and how their pattern changed over time with the recent availability of new biologic agents.

METHODS

We included patients receiving a first biologic agent in the Psobioteq multicenter cohort of adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis receiving systemic treatment. We described switches between biologics with chronograms, Sankey and Sunburst diagrams, assessed cumulative incidence of first switch by competing risks survival analysis and reasons for switching. We assessed the factors associated with the type of switch (intra-class - i.e. within the same therapeutic class - vs. inter-class) in patients switching from a TNF-alpha inhibitor using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 2153 patients was included. The cumulative incidence of switches from first biologic was 34% at 3 years. Adalimumab and ustekinumab were the most prescribed biologic agents as first and second lines of treatment. The main reason for switching was loss of efficacy (72%), followed by adverse events (11%). Patients receiving a TNF-alpha inhibitor before 2016 mostly switched to ustekinumab, whereas those switching in 2016 or after mostly switched to an IL-17 inhibitor. Patients switching from a first-line TNF-alpha inhibitor before 2016 were more likely to switch to another TNF-alpha inhibitor compared with patients switching since 2018. Patients switching from etanercept were more likely to receive another TNF-alpha inhibitor rather than another therapeutic class of bDMARD compared with patients switching from adalimumab.

CONCLUSION

This study described the switching patterns of biologic treatments and showed how they changed over time, due to the availability of the new biologic agents primarily IL-17 inhibitors.

AB1457 OPALE: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF THE REAL-WORLD USE OF AN ADALIMUMAB BIOSIMILAR AND EVALUATION OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS ON THE THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE. PATIENTS NUTRITIONAL STATUS AT BASELINE

Background

Chronic inflammatory diseases treatment has been greatly improved since the introduction of TNF inhibitors and later, of their biosimilars. In addition, epidemiological and interventional studies suggest a pathophysiological or therapeutic role, respectively, of nutrition in Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases (IRDs).

Objectives

The objective of the OPALE observational study was to describe in real life the profile of patients treated with an adalimumab biosimilar and to assess the impact of nutrition on disease evolution and response to treatment.

Methods

The study planned a one-year follow-up of patients with at least three visits: inclusion, six months and one year. In this study, 754 patients treated with Fresenius-Kabi adalimumab were included: 54.4 % of patients with an IRD, 42.8 % with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and 2.8 % patients with a psoriasis. Patients’ condition was assessed using a Clinical Global Impression of disease scale (CGI, primary end point of the study). Nutritional status was assessed through clinical data (weight, BMI (Body Mass Index), abdominal circumference) and the available biological analyses results. Screening for sarcopenia was based on a SARC-F score ≥ 4. Nutritional behavior was assessed using a diet questionnaire with a list of 48 foods divided into 6 classes (Fruits & vegetables, meat, fish & eggs, dairy products & fats, starchy foods, sweet foods and drinks). Foods voluntarily withdrawn due to illness and those avoided at acute flare-ups were recommended to be reported. This analysis aims to describe IRD patients’ nutritional status at baseline.

Results

From 754 included patients, 410 patients presented with an IRD (Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), n= 80 / Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), n=102 / SpondyloArthritis (SpA), n=228). Mean patients’ age was 47.7± 14.1 years, 56% are female, mean BMI was 26.0 ± 5.4 kg/m2. From this IRD population, 28.5% of patients have a family history of chronic inflammatory disease.

Mean disease duration was of 6.4 ± 8.4 years. Concerning the previous IRD treatment, 47.4% of patients had previously been treated by methotrexate among them 58% were still receiving this treatment at inclusion. Among IRD patients recruited in OPALE study, 72.8% received Fresenius Kabi adalimumab as their first biotherapy. Most of patients were assessed on the CGI scale as markedly ill (50.7%) or moderately ill (29.9%) and 110 patients (37.3%) had a score ≥ 4 on the SARC-F questionnaire (mean age 48.9 ± 14.1 years and mean BMI 27.2 ±5.6 kg/m2).

Concerning the disease history at baseline, the descriptive analysis of self-administered questionnaire shows that 68.3% of patients may have changed their nutritional behavior because of their illness, by banishing several foods (mean number: 12.7 ± 10.1). These restrictions are increased during flare-ups: 32.7% of patients removed an average of 6.0 ± 5.8 additional foods number. These changes are in part based on the patients’ own beliefs: 17% of them consider that certain foods can improve their illness, 35% of patients think they have identified the foods likely to make it worse (Table 1).

Table 1.

Patient-reported influence of certain foods on disease

PsARASpATOTAL IRD(n=60)(n=72)(n=177)(n=309)Patients identifying foods with negative influence21225810137.5% [24.9% - 51.5%]32.4% [21.5% - 44.8%]36.0% [28.6% - 44.0%]35.4% [29.9% - 41.3%]Patients identifying foods with positive influence912274816.4% [7.8% - 28.8%]17.6% [9.5% - 28.8%]17.2% [11.7% - 24.0%]17.1% [12.9% - 22.1%]

Conclusion

These preliminary baseline data from OPALE observational study confirm the risk of decreased muscle mass in IRD. Mean BMI of patients screened for sarcopenia is higher than that of non-sarcopenic patients (respectively 27.2 ± 5.6 kg/m2 and 25.6 ± 4.8 kg/m2; p=0.02). These results plead for a systematic screening for sarcopenia in IRD patients. The risk of sarcopenia could be further aggravated by inappropriate nutritional behaviors aimed at excluding food groups, which would justify dietary education of these IRD patients.

Disclosure of Interests

Martin SOUBRIER Consultant of: Fresenius Kabi, Manuelle VIGUIER Consultant of: Fresenius Kabi, Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet Consultant of: Fresenius Kabi, Sebastien Czernichow Consultant of: Fresenius Kabi

Palmoplantar pustulosis and acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau: demographical and clinical comparative study in a large multicentre cohort

Background

Acral pustular disease within the pustular psoriasis/psoriasis‐like spectrum mainly includes palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) and acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH). Scarce data argue for a distinction between these two entities, but no study has compared the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of ACH and PPP.

Objectives

We aimed to perform a comparative description of the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of PPP and ACH in a multicentre retrospective cohort.

Methods

In this multicentre national retrospective cohort study, we compared the epidemiological characteristics, comorbidities and psoriasis characteristics of patients with PPP and ACH.

Results

A total of 234 patients were included: 203 (87%) with PPP, 18 (8%) with ACH and 13 (6%) with both, according to 2017 ERASPEN criteria. As compared with ACH, PPP was associated with female sex, smoking activity and higher median BMI (P = 0.01, P = 0.02 and P = 0.05 respectively). A family background of psoriasis was more frequent in PPP than ACH. Age of onset of palmoplantar disease was similar between PPP and ACH patients, median age 44 and 48 years respectively. Peripheral joint inflammatory involvement was the only rheumatic disease associated with ACH. The association with another psoriasis type was similar in PPP and ACH (57.6% and 61.1% respectively).

Conclusion

Our study confirms in a large PPP cohort the predominance of females and a high prevalence of smoking and elevated body mass index but also shows an association of these features in PPP as compared with ACH. In addition, it highlights peripheral arthritis as the only arthritis endotype associated with ACH. Increased knowledge of the immunogenetic backgrounds underlying these two entities is warranted to better stratify pustular psoriasis or psoriasis‐like entities for precision medicine.

Reasons for Discontinuation of dupilumab in Adult Atopic Dermatitis in Clinical Practice

Dupilumab, an anti-IL-4ɑ monoclonal antibody, has shown a positive benefit-risk ratio when treating moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in clinical studies (1). High persistence on dupilumab has recently been reported in clinical-practice setting with 77% of patients remaining in treatment for 12 months in a retrospective study including 1,963 patients with AD but reasons for discontinuation were not investigated (2).

Users of biologics in clinical practice: would they be eligible for phase III clinical studies? Cohort Study in the French Psoriasis Registry PSOBIOTEQ

BACKGROUND

Numerous inclusion and exclusion criteria are involved in phase III moderate to severe psoriasis trials investigating the safety and efficacy of biologics. This questions the generalization of results.

METHODS

In this cohort study, we applied inclusion/exclusion criteria for phase III trials from original protocols (adalimumab - REVEAL, ustekinumab - PHOENIX, brodalumab - AMAGINE, secukinumab FIXTURE) to all patients enrolled in the PsoBioTeq prospective registry who received a biological agent for the first time between July 2012 and November 2017. We then compared the efficacy, drug survival and occurrence of adverse events between patients who satisfied/did not satisfy the eligibility criteria for these phase III trials.

RESULTS

A total of 1267 patients were enrolled, of whom 993 (78.4%) were not eligible for at least one RCT (randomized controlled trial) and 251 (19.1%) did not meet the PASI/PGA severity requirements. Apart from disease severity, the most frequent criteria resulting in exclusion were as follows: non-plaque psoriasis (12.6%), significant cardiac disease (8.4%), significant liver disease (7.3%), elevated liver enzymes (4.9-9.6%) and personal history of diabetes (9.2%). There was no difference in drug survival between the two groups. The incidence ratio of adverse events was significantly lower in eligible versus non-eligible patients [0.78 (95% CI 0.62-0.97) (P = 0.03)].

CONCLUSION

The majority of patients treated with biologics in the PsoBioTeq real-life registry would not have been eligible for phase III moderate to severe psoriasis trials. Patients not eligible for psoriasis phase III clinical trials have a higher incidence of adverse events.

French guidelines on the use of systemic treatments for moderate-to-severe psoriasis in adults

These guidelines were developed by the psoriasis research group of the French Society of Dermatology with the aim of providing updated decision‐making algorithms for the systemic treatment of adult patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis. Our algorithms were generated after rigorous evaluation of existing guidelines on the treatment of psoriasis and of publications concerning new systemic treatments, not yet incorporated into existing guidelines. A total of nine existing guidelines and 53 publications related to new systemic treatments were found to meet our criteria for use in the generation of the algorithms. We have proposed two new algorithms to assess therapeutic responses, both of which incorporate emerging criteria for evaluating treatment goals. Updated therapeutic strategy algorithms, incorporating both established and new systemic therapies, were also generated for the treatment of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, together with recommendations for the treatment of particular forms of psoriasis and treatment of patients with comorbidities.

Prurigo pigmentosa in a fair-skinned European woman: Dramatic improvement with doxycycline

INTRODUCTION

Prurigo pigmentosa is a rare inflammatory, pruriginous skin disease seen predominantly in young Asian women, with average age of onset in the mid-20s.

OBSERVATION

A 25-year-old fair-skinned European woman presented with a two-year history of pruriginous skin lesions recurring fortnightly. The initial lesions were inflammatory papules, which first emerged on the back of the neck before spreading to the shoulders, below the breasts and the back. The papules resolved leaving a reticular hyperpigmented network that gradually worsened after each episode. The clinical presentation and histopathological findings were consistent with a diagnosis of prurigo pigmentosa. Doxycycline 200mg/day was initiated, with rapid resolution, absence of any further flare-ups and gradual regression of the reticular pigmentation.

DISCUSSION

Prurigo pigmentosa is a skin disease of stereotypical presentation marked by frequent inflammatory flare-ups involving the trunk that are followed by periods of remission with residual hyperpigmentation. Herein we report a case observed in a fair-skinned French female subject. It is important that dermatologists are able to recognize it and distinguish it from other forms of pruriginous papular dermatosis, owing to the dramatic efficacy of tetracyclines in controlling the inflammatory flares and in reducing the adverse aesthetic impact of hyperpigmentation.