RESEARCH - Skin manifestations of psoriatic arthritis respond best to twice weekly Enbrel

[Guest guest]

Skin Manifestations of Psoriatic Arthritis Respond Best to Twice

Weekly Etanercept

Medscape

By J. Brown, MD

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Feb 09 - In patients with psoriatic

arthritis, once weekly etanercept (Enbrel) is suitable for joint

symptoms but twice weekly dosing is needed to best address skin

lesions, according to a report in the February 9th Online First issue

of BMJ

" Inflammation in the skin seems to be more pronounced than in joints

of psoriasis patients, and thus requires a higher dosing, particularly

in the induction phase of treatment, " lead author Dr. Wolfram Sterry,

from Charite University Medicine, Berlin, told Reuters Health by

email.

According to Dr. Sterry, the trial was the first to compare " two

different dosing regimens of etanercept in patients with psoriasis,

suffering both from moderate to severe skin involvement as well as

marked arthritis. "

The 98-center PRESTA study, conducted in Europe, Latin America, and

the Asia Pacific region, featured 752 outpatients. During the first

phase, patients were randomized to receive etanercept 50 mg once or

twice weekly (by subcutaneous injection) for 12 weeks. During the

second phase, all subjects received the drug once weekly for 12 more

weeks.

*****************************************

Read the full article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/716743

Not an MD