Age affects drug survival rates of interleukin (IL)‐17 and IL‐23 inhibitors in patients with plaque psoriasis: Results from a retrospective, multicentric, multi‐country, cohort study
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AbstractBackgroundScarce data related to the drug survival of biologic agents in psoriasis patients aged ≥65 years is available.ObjectivesTo evaluate the drug survival of interleukin (IL)‐23 or the IL‐17 inhibitors approved for the treatment of moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis in elderly patients (aged ≥65 years), compared with younger adult patients (aged <65 years), and to identify clinical predictors that can influence the drug survival.MethodsThis retrospective multicentric cohort study included adult patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis, dissecting two‐patient subcohorts based on age: elderly versus younger adults. Kaplan–Meier estimator and proportional hazard Cox regression models were used for drug survival analysis.ResultsWe included 4178 patients and 4866 treatment courses; 934 were elderly (1072 treatment courses), and 3244 were younger patients (3794 treatment courses). Drug survival, considering all causes of interruption, was higher in patients aged <65 years than in elderly patients overall (log‐rank p < 0.006). This difference was significant for treatment courses involving IL‐23 inhibitors (p < 0.001) but not for those with IL‐17 inhibitors (p = 0.2). According to both uni‐ and multi‐variable models, elder age was associated with an increased risk of treatment discontinuation (univariable analysis: HR: 1.229, 95% CI 1.062–1.422; p < 0.006; multivariable analysis: HR: 1.199, 95% CI 1.010–1.422; p = 0.0377). Anti‐IL‐23 agents were associated with a reduced likelihood of treatment discontinuation after adjusting for other variables (HR: 0.520, 95% CI 0.368–0.735; p < 0.001). Being previously treated with IL‐17 inhibitors increased the probability of discontinuation.ConclusionElderly patients with psoriasis have an increased risk of biologic treatment discontinuation compared with younger adult patients, particularly, if being treated with IL‐23 inhibitors. However, in stratified analyses conducted in elderly patients, IL‐23 inhibitors showed higher drug survival rates than IL‐17 inhibitors.
