Efficacy and safety of secukinumab in psoriasis: five-year real life experience.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of secukinumab in psoriasis patients has been demonstrated in randomized controlled clinical trials. OBJECTIVES: The authors aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in plaque psoriasis patients followed in our clinic. METHODS: Data from 101 plaque psoriasis patients who received at least 16 weeks of secukinumab treatment between June 2018 and June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-three (53%) of the patients were bionaive. PASI-75, -90, -100 response rates were 72%, 50%, 30% respectively at week 16 in all patients. PASI-75 and -90 responses were higher in naive patients at weeks 16 and 28 (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.01, p = 0.01, respectively). The percentage of patients with PASI ≤ 1, ≤ 3, ≤ 5 were 50%, 77%, and 92%, respectively at week 16. They were higher in the naive group than in nonnaive group at weeks 16 and 28 (p = 0.02, p < 0.01, p = 0.05, p = 0.07, p < 0.01, p = 0.03, respectively). At week 52, PASI-75, -90, -100 responses were significantly lower in smoking patients (p = 0.04, p = 0.03, p < 0.01, respectively). The mean duration of secukinumab treatment was 19.80 ±â€¯12.76 months. Secukinumab was discontinued 14 (26.4%) naive patients and 28 (58.3%) nonnaive patients at one occasion during treatment (p < 0.001). The most common adverse event in patients was mucocutaneous candida infection (8%). No hepatitis B or C reactivation and no active or reactivation tuberculosis were observed in any of the patients during the follow-up period. STUDY LIMITATIONS: This is a single-center retrospective study with relatively few patients including only the Turkish population. CONCLUSION: Secukinumab seems to be effective in plaque psoriasis, particularly in bionaive and non-smokers. Moreover, it is safe in patients with inactive hepatitis or tuberculosis.