A single-center, retrospective study of treatment adherence for biological treatment in patients with psoriasis

Background: Previous studies on treatment adherence for biological treatment in terms of treatment discontinuation and maintenance of treatment interval are scarce in patients with psoriasis.Objective: To investigate treatment adherence for biological treatment.Methods: A single-center, retrospective analysis of medial record was performed for moderate-to-severe psoriasis vulgaris patients who received biologics for at least 3 months (adalimumab, ustekinumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, guselkumab, and risankizumab).Patients with treatment discontinuation were defined as patients who did not receive biologics for at least 24 weeks.Patients with irregular treatment interval were defined as patients who receive biologics more than 1.5-times of approved treatment interval.Results: A total 93 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis vulgaris patients were included: adalimumab (n=1), ustekinumab (n=6), secukinumab (n=17), ixekizumab (n=6), guselkumab (n=32), risankizumab (n=31).Number of patients with treatment discontinuation was 4 (4.3%),whereas number of patients with irregular treatment interval was 8 (9.0%).There was no specific, identified reason for treatment discontinuation.Duration of biologics treatment was significantly higher in patients with irregular treatment interval, compared with patients with regular treatment interval (p=0.041).Coefficient of variation for treatment interval is lowest for risankizuamb (4.1%) and highest for ixekizumab (9.2%). Conclusion:We found high degree of treatment adherence to biological treatment in patients with psoriasis.