Seminars in cutaneous medicine and surgery
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Semin Cutan Med Surg · Mar 2010
ReviewThe treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis: prescreening and monitoring psoriatic patients on biologics.
The development of biologics has dramatically altered the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis while also introducing new standards of care for therapeutic monitoring. Currently, the biologics approved by the US Food and Drug Administration are divided into 3 classes: T-cell modulators, tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors, and interleukin-12/23 inhibitors. ⋯ Instead of following a blanket algorithm, providers must understand the evidence as it relates to each medication to determine which tests are appropriate for any specific patient. This chapter summarizes the current body of evidence and recommends a practical approach for monitoring psoriasis patients who are receiving biologic therapies.