Efficacy & safety of IL-17 & IL-23 inhibitors in elderly psoriasis patients

[Fred]

In this retrospective study, 121 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treated with Cosentyx (secukinumab), Taltz (ixekizumab), Tremfya (guselkumab), or Skyrizi (risankizumab) were analysed.

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Biologic therapies targeting interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 have transformed psoriasis treatment, yet real-world evidence on the impact of age on treatment responses and drug survival is limited.

This study aims to compare early (12/16 weeks), mid term (24 weeks) and long term (52 weeks) Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) responses and drug survival in psoriasis patients aged < 65 versus ≥ 65 years receiving IL-17 or IL-23 inhibitors. In this retrospective study, 121 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treated with secukinumab, ixekizumab, guselkumab, or risankizumab were analyzed.

Patients were stratified into two age groups (< 65, n = 78; ≥ 65, n = 43). PASI75, PASI90, and PASI < 2 outcomes were assessed at 12/16, 24, and 52 weeks. Drug survival was evaluated via Kaplan–Meier analysis (censoring at 24 months) and Cox regression was used to identify predictors of discontinuation. At 12/16 weeks, the < 65 group achieved significantly higher PASI75 (90.5% vs. 65.1%, p = 0.010), PASI90 (75.7% vs. 32.6%, p = 0.030) and PASI < 2 (55.8% vs. 79.7%, p = 0.006) responses than the ≥ 65 group. At 52 weeks, PASI75, PASI90, and PASI < 2 rates were similar between groups (86.3% vs. 97.5%, p = 0.055; 78% vs. 90%, p = 0.112; 85.1% vs. 92.5%, p = 0.253).

There were no significant differences between IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors within any age group. Overall drug survival at 24 months was high (79.6% for < 65 and 90.3% for ≥ 65, log-rank p = 0.407), with no difference between biologic classes (mean survival: 21.8 vs. 22.4 months, p = 0.520). In Cox regression, female sex (HR 0.23, p = 0.005) and higher baseline PASI (HR 1.093 per point, p = 0.013) predicted discontinuation, whereas age, biologic class, BMI, and prior biologic use were not significant.

Despite a delayed initial response, older patients achieve long-term PASI outcomes comparable to younger patients when treated with IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors. Drug survival is similarly excellent across age groups and biologic classes.

These findings support the successful use of modern biologics in elderly psoriasis patients.

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com

*Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Cosentyx (secukinumab)
Taltz (ixekizumab)
Tremfya (guselkumab)
Skyrizi (risankizumab)