| BRIEF REPORT |
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| Year : 2006 | Volume
: 72
| Issue : 2 | Page : 133--135 |
Chimeric monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor alpha (infliximab) in psoriasis
J Sridhar1, PLK Desylva2, YD Singh3
1 INHS Kalyani, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
2 Departments of Dermatology, INHS Asvini, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
3 Departments of Medicine, INHS Asvini, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address:
J Sridhar
INHS Kalyani, Gandhigram, Visakhapatnam 530 005, Andhra Pradesh
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0378-6323.25639
Background: Insights into the pathogenesis of psoriasis have provided opportunities to target key steps in the disease process. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) being crucial to the pathogenesis of psoriasis, monoclonal antibodies against this cytokine have proved useful in its treatment. Aim: To study the efficacy of chimeric monoclonal antibody to TNF-a (infliximab) in Indian patients with recalcitrant psoriasis vulgaris. Materials and Methods: Three patients with recalcitrant psoriasis vulgaris were studied. Baseline haemogram, biochemical parameters, chest radiograph and Mantoux skin test were performed. A loading dose regimen of 5 mg/kg infliximab was administered at weeks 0, 2 and 6. PASI assessment, adverse drug event monitoring and laboratory assessments were carried out at 2-week intervals until week 10. Patients were followed up until week 22 for relapse. Results: Infliximab was well tolerated. The mean PASI was 25.4 at presentation and declined to 5.5 at 10 weeks. PASI 75 was attained at a mean of 9.6 weeks. Relapse occurred at a mean of 18.6 weeks after the first infusion. Conclusions: This study on Indian patients brings out the importance of cytokine-based therapies in psoriasis. Indigenous production could make these therapies a viable therapeutic option for psoriasis patients in the near future.
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