NICE guidance - infliximab for the treatment for adults with psoriasis

• Summary features of the NICE guidance are outlined below (1):
  • infliximab, within its licensed indications, is recommended as a treatment option for adults with plaque psoriasis only when the following criteria are met
    • the disease is very severe as defined by a total Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) of 20 or more and a Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) of more than 18
    • the psoriasis has failed to respond to standard systemic therapies such as ciclosporin, methotrexate or PUVA (psoralen and long-wave ultraviolet radiation), or the person is intolerant to or has a contraindication to these treatments
  • infliximab treatment should be continued beyond 10 weeks only in people whose psoriasis has shown an adequate response to treatment within 10 weeks. An adequate response is defined as either:
    • a 75% reduction in the PASI score from when treatment started (PASI 75) or
    • a 50% reduction in the PASI score (PASI 50) and a five-point reduction in the DLQI from when treatment started

For more detailed information see full guidance (1).

Reference:

• (1) NICE (January 2008). Infliximab for the treatment of adults with psoriasis