Total skin clearance results in improvements in health-related quality of life and reduced symptom severity among patients with moderate to severe psoriasis

Background: Newer therapies provide high levels of skin clearance in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. However, insufficient evidence exists on the impact of total skin clearance from the patient's perspective.

Objectives: To examine effects of total skin clearance on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psoriasis symptom severity in subjects with moderate to severe psoriasis.

Methods: Pooled data from a phase 2 dose-ranging trial in psoriasis using brodalumab (antibody to interleukin-17 receptor A) were used to compare subjects with static physician global assessment (sPGA) 1 versus sPGA 0 and subjects with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 75 to <100 versus PASI 100 at week 12 based on no impairment in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI = 0) and no psoriasis symptoms (Psoriasis Symptom Inventory = 0).

Results: Of subjects with sPGA 0 (clear) and 1 (almost clear), 61.4% and 45.7% had a DLQI = 0 (p = 0.15), and 65.5% and 32.6% had a Psoriasis Symptom Inventory = 0 (p = 0.001), respectively. Significantly more subjects with sPGA 1 continued to report itching, redness, scaling, and flaking compared to subjects with sPGA 0. Similar results were observed based on PASI score.

Conclusions: A higher proportion of subjects with total skin clearance reported no impairment in HRQoL and no psoriasis symptoms than those who were almost clear.