Abstract

Aim: The goal of this study was to analyze persistence with biological drugs in individuals with psoriasis followed in dermatology practices in Germany.
Materials and methods: This study included 1,201 psoriasis patients who were prescribed biological drugs for the first time in 90 dermatology practices in Germany between 2010 and 2017 (index date). The main outcome of the study was the persistence with biological drugs within 3 years of therapy initiation. Covariates were sex, age, health insurance coverage, psoriasis subtype, route of administration of the first biological treatment, and co-prescriptions.
Results: Mean (SD) age was 49.3 (13.8) years, and 61.0% of patients were men. The most frequently prescribed biological drugs were adalimumab (42.3%), secukinumab (25.4%), and ustekinumab (16.6%). After 3 years of treatment, persistence with biological drugs was 59.7% in men and 53.0% in women (p = 0.028). The corresponding figures were 45.4%, 64.1%, 61.0%, 55.2%, and 55.5% in people aged 18 – 30, 31 – 40, 41 – 50, 51 – 60, and > 60 years, respectively (p = 0.003), and 66.4% and 55.0% in those receiving intravenous and subcutaneous injections, respectively (p = 0.008). There was no significant association between predefined covariates and persistence. However, median persistence per dermatology practice ranged from 187 to 877 days.
Conclusion: Persistence with biological drugs in psoriasis patients followed in dermatology practices was low 3 years after therapy initiation and varied between practices.

Author Details

Authors

• Louis Jacob¹*
• Amelie Püttmann²*
• Karel Kostev³

Departments

• ¹ Faculty of Medicine, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Montigny-le-­Bretonneux, France,
• ² University Clinic of Marburg, Marburg, and
• ³ Epidemiology, IQVIA, Frankfurt, Germany

Address

Prof. Dr. rer. med. Karel Kostev
Epidemiology IQVIA
Unterschweinstiege 2 – 14
60549 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Email: kkostev@
de.imshealth.com

Citation