Long-term efficacy and safety of secukinumab in real life: a 240 weeks multicenter study from Southern Italy

Abstract

Background

Long-term real-life data on secukinumab use in psoriasis are limited.

Objectives

Determine the long-term effectiveness of secukinumab in moderate-to-severe psoriasis in real-life.

Methods

Multicenter retrospective study analyzing data from adult patients treated with secukinumab for at least 192 weeks and up to 240 weeks in Southern Italy, between 2016 and 2021. Clinical data, including concurrent comorbidities and prior treatments were collected. Effectiveness was assessed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Body Surface Area (BSA), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores at the initiation of secukinumab and at weeks 4, 12, 24, 48, 96, 144, 192, and 240.

Results

Two hundred and seventy-five patients (174 males), mean age 50.80 ± 14.78 years, were included; 29.8% had an uncommon localization, 24.4% psoriatic arthritis, 71.6% comorbidities. PASI, BSA, and DLQI improved significantly from week 4 and continued to improve over time. Between weeks 24 and 240, PASI score was mild (≤10) in 97–100% of patients, 83–93% had mild affected BSA (BSA ≤ 3), and 62–90% reported no effect of psoriasis on their quality of life (DLQI 0–1). Only 2.6% of patients reported adverse events and no patient discontinued the treatment during the study period.

Conclusions

Secukinumab effectiveness in the long-term treatment of psoriasis is confirmed in real-world.

Keywords:

• Biologic drugs
• long-term therapy
• Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI)
• real-world
• secukinumab

Acknowledgments

We thank Ray Hill, an independent medical writer, who provided English-language editing and journal styling before submission on behalf of Health Publishing & Services Srl. This assistance was funded by Novartis Farma SpA.

Author contributions

All the authors conceptualized, designed, acquired, analyzed, and interpreted the data. All the authors drafted and revised the manuscript, and approved the current version for the submission.

Data availability statement

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.