Biologics reduce infections in older adults with psoriasis

A recent study has found that specific biologic treatments for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in older adults are linked to lower rates of serious infections. Biologics that target interleukin (IL)-12, IL-23, or IL-17 showed particularly promising results. Researchers, including Dr. Aaron M. Drucker from the University of Toronto, analyzed health data from adults aged 66 and older. They sought to understand how various treatments for psoriatic diseases affected the risk of serious infections. Previous research had shown mixed results regarding the infection risks associated with these systemic medications in older patients. The study reviewed data from Ontario, Canada, covering medication prescriptions and hospitalizations from April 2002 to December 2020. A total of 11,641 older adults were examined, with an average age of 71. Over a median follow-up of about 4.8 years, 1,967 serious infections were reported. The analysis categorized treatments into five groups: methotrexate, other older systemic drugs, anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies, other biologics targeting IL-12, IL-23, or IL-17, and tofacitinib. The incidence rates of serious infections varied among these groups, with the following rates per 100 person-years: methotrexate (2.7), other older systemic drugs (2.5), anti-TNF biologics (2.2), other biologics (1.4), and tofacitinib (8.9). The researchers concluded that while methotrexate and anti-TNF biologics did not show a significant increase in infection risk, the newer biologics reduced the risk of serious infections. In contrast, tofacitinib was associated with a higher infection risk. The findings suggest that these newer treatments may offer safety benefits for older adults with psoriatic diseases.