Is Risk for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Increased With Biologics in Psoriasis?
By Dermsquared Editorial Team | January 04, 2023
The incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection does not differ for patients with psoriasis receiving biologics or nonbiologic systemics versus other treatments, according to a study published online Dec. 22 in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment .
K.V. Kwee, M.D., from Bravis Hospital in Roosendaal, Netherlands, and colleagues examined the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in psoriasis patients and compared infection rates for different psoriasis treatment groups in a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was administered to 551 patients included between April 12, 2021, and Oct. 31, 2021. Participants also underwent a blood test to screen for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 N-antigen.
The researchers found that based on questionnaire data combined with serologic data, 59 patients (10.7 percent) had experienced a SARS-CoV-2 infection. The risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection did not seem to be increased for biologic or nonbiologic systemic therapy users versus patients using other treatment in analyses corrected for confounders. Only four hospitalizations were reported, and there were no reports of admissions to the intensive care unit. In all treatment groups, the rough mortality rate was 0.32 percent.
"Our results do not contradict current recommendations to continue biologics and systemic antipsoriatic drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies, including Novartis, which funded the PsoCovid study.