Reasons for Discontinuation Vary by Psoriasis Treatment

FRIDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- The reasons for discontinuation of commonly used treatments for psoriasis vary by treatment, according to a study published online July 30 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Howa Yeung, from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia, and colleagues conducted interviews of 1,095 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis to assess 11 reasons for treatment discontinuation for all past treatments (2,231 total).

The authors found that the median treatment duration ranged from 6.0 to 20.5 months (P < 0.001). For each treatment there was a significantly different frequency of each reason cited for discontinuation. A loss of efficacy was more likely to be cited by patients who received etanercept (odds ratio [OR], 5.19) and adalimumab (OR, 2.10) than by those who received methotrexate. Side effects were less likely to be cited by patients who received etanercept (OR, 0.34), adalimumab (OR, 0.48), or ultraviolet B phototherapy (OR, 0.21) than by those who received methotrexate, and were more likely to be cited by those who received acitretin (OR, 1.56). Inability to afford treatment was more likely to be cited by patients who underwent ultraviolet B phototherapy (OR, 7.03).

"A broad range of clinically relevant, patient-oriented reasons may explain why patients discontinue treatments," the authors write. "These results may inform the development of public policy and evidence-based strategies to improve treatment satisfaction and to maintain successful long-term psoriasis control."

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract
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