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• Managing Psoriasis
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Psoriasis

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of psoriasis.

Highlights

Research

A study released in October 2006 shows an increased risk of heart attacks in people with psoriasis. The risk was highest in young patients with severe psoriasis.

Drug Research

Results from a Phase III (late-stage) study show that adalimumab (Humira) is more effective than methotrexate in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. In the study, 80% of patients treated for 16 weeks with adalimumab reported a 75% or better improvement, compared with 36% of patients treated with methotrexate.

Drug Approvals

An ointment containing a combination of the drugs calcipotriol and betamethasone was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2006 for the treatment of adults with psoriasis. The product, marketed in the U.S. as Taclonex, was more effective in clinical studies than either drug alone.

Drug Warnings

As of December 31, 2005, everyone who takes, prescribes, or dispenses the drug isotretinoin (Accutane) must enroll in a national registry called iPLEDGE, which is designed to prevent pregnancies in women taking this drug. Accutane has also been linked to suicide and suicidal attempts.

• Review Date: 10/30/2006
• Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, M.D., Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

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