Association of HLA-C*06:02 allele and serum total IgE level with therapeutic response to Ustekinumab in Biologic-Naive Chinese patients with plaque psoriasis: a single-center retrospective study

To evaluate the association of HLA-C*06:02 allele and serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) with ustekinumab response in biologic-naive Chinese patients with plaque psoriasis. A single-center retrospective study was conducted, enrolling 42 Chinese patients with plaque psoriasis. Genome-wide microarray analysis and clinical data assessment were performed for all participants received ustekinumab at week 0, 4, 16 and 28. HLA-C*06:02 allele positive patients achieved significantly higher PASI 50 response rates at week 4 and PASI 75 response rates at week 16 compared to HLA-C*06:02 allele negative patients (all P s < 0.05). At week 28, all patients in both groups attained PASI 75, the PASI 90 response rate was numerically higher in the HLA-C*06:02 allele positive group, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P > 0.05). Patients with elevated baseline total IgE (> 60 IU/mL) also showed superior PASI 75 response at weeks 4 and 16, and a higher PASI 90 response rate at week 16 and 28 (all P s < 0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that HLA-C*06:02 allele positivity was associated with achieving PASI 75 at week 16. HLA-C*06:02 allele positivity and elevated baseline total IgE were associated with a favorable ustekinumab response in biologic-naive Chinese patients with plaque psoriasis, although the findings are exploratory and require validation.