• Paolo Amerio, Giuseppe Amoruso, Federico Bardazzi, Anna Campanati, Nicoletta Cassano, Andrea Conti, Paolo Gisondi, Claudio Guarneri, Annamaria Mazzotta, Stefano Piaserico, Francesca Prestinari, Francesca Prignano, Cristina Zane, and Clara de Simone.
• Dept of Oncology and Neuroscience, Dermatologic Clinic, University G.D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.
• J Dermatolog Treat. 2013 Aug 1; 24 (4): 305-11.

AbstractThe biologic agents can be highly efficacious in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; however, their use is associated with an increased risk of developing active TB. In particular, TNF-α plays critical role in preventing TB infection and reactivation of latent TB infection (LTBI). Therefore, it is critical that all patients be screened for LTBI prior to initiating therapy. An expert panel of Italian dermatologists met recently with the goal of producing a consensus paper on screening and chemoprophylaxis for LTBI in Italian psoriasis patients treated with biologics. Current recommendations for the screening algorithm include medical history, chest x-ray, and tests that evaluate immunologic response to the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Patients with positive screening results and without active disease are to be treated with a full course of chemoprophylaxis; however, if the patient is compliant and tolerating the regimen, biologic therapy for psoriasis may be started after at least 1 month on prophylactic therapy when prompt control of disease is required.

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