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Immunosuppressive drugs for patients with psoriasis during the COVID ‐19 pandemic era. A review
Author(s) -
Sadeghinia Ali,
Daneshpazhooh Maryam
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
dermatologic therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1529-8019
pISSN - 1396-0296
DOI - 10.1111/dth.14498
Subject(s) - medicine , psoriasis , apremilast , methotrexate , pandemic , covid-19 , ixekizumab , drug , dermatology , pharmacology , secukinumab , immunology , psoriatic arthritis , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Abstract The COVID‐19 has been spreading around the world. Concerns about the safety of administration of immunosuppressive drugs have been raised for treatment of psoriasis (PSO), and there is insufficient evidence for the risk of COVID‐19 infection for psoriatic patients using these drugs, so we did a review, focusing on the risk of overall infection associated with the most commonly used immunosuppressive drugs, such as methotrexate, biologics, cyclosporin, Janus kinase inhibitors for the treatment of PSO. The data on the effect of immunosuppressive drugs on this virus may be ever‐changing and remains to be clear. We recommend the initiation and continuation of low‐risk immunomodulating drugs, such as Interleukin (IL)‐17, IL‐12/23, and IL‐23 inhibitors, for treatment of PSO during COVID‐19 era. For psoriatic patients with comorbidities switching to safer modalities such as systemic retinoids, apremilast, and home phototherapy is recommended. Immunosuppressive drugs should be withheld in psoriatic patients with the COVID‐19 infection.