Low Adherence to Biologics in Psoriasis Patients Save

Doshi and colleagues have conducted a retrospective claims analysis (2009 through 2012) of psoriasis patients on Medicare to examine the use and adherence to those initiating treatment with either infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, or ustekinumab. (Citation source http://buff.ly/1Uf038m)

Amongst the 2707 patients initiating treatment with adalimumab (40%), etanercept (38%), infliximab (12%), or ustekinumab (10%), they found after a 12-month follow-up, only 38% were adherent, 46% discontinued treatment, with 8% switching to another biologic and 9% later restarting another biologic treatment.

Etanercept had the lowest percentage days covered (0.56), lowest adherence 29.4% and highest discontinuations (51.7%), including switches to another biologic (9.5%).

These high discontinuation rates amongst Medicare psoriasis patients were more common in females and those ineligible for low-income subsidies.

The authors call for further study of this issue, as nonadherence has been linked to the poorest outcomes in psoriasis.