Therapeutic effects of a 12-week course of alefacept on nail psoriasis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nail psoriasis is a common finding in psoriatic patients and it affects the quality of life in a great proportion of patients. Topical or systemic treatments have limited effectiveness or have a serious toxicity potential. Biologicals such as alefacept are the most recent treatment modalities for psoriasis. In the present study we evaluated changes in nail pathology in patients with plaque psoriasis and nail involvement during treatment with alefacept. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Digital photographs from eight patients were produced, which were analysed using the nail psoriasis severity index (NAPSI). A minimal NAPSI of 15 was chosen to divide patients into a moderate to very severe nail psoriasis group and a group with no or mild nail psoriasis. A decrease in NAPSI of at least 25% was considered a significant response to therapy. RESULTS: In the group with at least moderate nail psoriasis, two patients improved, in two patients the nail changes remained unchanged and in one patient the nail pathology was aggravated. The group with no or mild nail psoriasis showed variable results. CONCLUSIONS: Although alefacept showed some results in treating nail pathology in psoriasis, a more extensive study is required, covering both more patients and a more extensive time period. Furthermore, it would also be clinically relevant to compare the effects of alefacept on nail psoriasis with other biologicals.     

Treatment of severe nail psoriasis with acitretin: an impressive therapeutic result

Nail psoriasis is common in adult psoriatic patients. Although several new drugs have recently been introduced for the treatment of skin psoriasis, treatment of nail psoriasis still remains a challenge. Topical treatments (e.g., corticosteroids, tazarotene, 5‐fluorouracil, calcipotriol) are the first line in the management of skin psoriasis. The efficacy of these drugs in nail disease, however, is limited, mainly due to the difficulty in penetrating the nail bed and nail matrix. In cases of nail disease resistant to topical treatment, methotrexate, ciclosporin, acitretin, or biological agents can be used. The present authors introduce a 73‐year‐old patient affected by impressive psoriatic nail disease involving all her fingernails and toenails treated by acitretin, a traditional systemic treatment. After 2 months of treatment there was a marked improvement. The clinical improvement of the nails was progressive and 6 months later it was stable and satisfactory. The remarkable response to treatment in this case suggests that oral acitretin, in association to urea nail lacquer, might be useful in the management of disabling severe nail psoriasis even in absence of severe cutaneous involvement.     

The Role of Biological Agents in the Treatment of Nail Psoriasis

Nail psoriasis affects up to 90% of patients with psoriasis in their lifetime and is seen in 80% of patients with psoriatic arthritis. These changes of nail psoriasis often cause significant pain, psychological effects, and result in restrictions of daily activities. In patients with nail psoriasis, the choice of effective therapy is limited and depends on various factors, including the severity of the disease, the ability of patients to tolerate treatment, and their ability to pay (insurance) for what are, in some cases, expensive treatments. In recent years, biological therapies have proved effective in improving nail psoriasis, have generally proved to be well tolerated and require minimal patient monitoring. In the right situation, therefore, the use of biological agents is justified in patients with psoriatic nail disease.     

Biological therapy and nail psoriasis

Nail psoriasis affects 50% of psoriasis patients and in many cases causes impairment of manual dexterity, pain, and psychologic stress. Despite the fact that about 80% of psoriatic arthritis patients have nail involvement, patients rarely receive treatment for nail disease. Because of great difficulty in drug delivery to site of action and significant toxicities of most conventional systemic therapies, treatment of nail psoriasis can be very challenging. Biological therapy for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis is now widely used, and early evidence indicates it may have significant benefit for some patients with psoriatic nail disease. This article reviews the clinical manifestations of nail psoriasis and discusses how to use specific biologic therapies that may provide significant new treatment options for this challenging disease.     

Diagnosis and management of nail psoriasis

Nail psoriasis has traditionally been considered as one of the most difficult forms of psoriasis to treat. The most recent studies have found a higher prevalence of fungal infections in psoriatic nails and therefore cultures before and during treatment are necessary. Over the last few years, novel psoriatic therapies have been developed, some of which are effective for both skin and nail lesions (cyclosporine and biologic agents). Of the topical agents, vitamin D and A derivatives as well as nail lacquer containing 8 % clobetasol propionate can help improve lesions of both the nail bed and matrix.     

Identification of nail features associated with psoriasis severity

There are no detailed studies of the prevalence of nail psoriasis and clinical characteristics of psoriatic nail involvement, including nail features associated with disease severity. Therefore, we designed a study to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of psoriatic nail involvement in patients with psoriasis and determine the relationship between psoriatic nail features and severity of nail psoriasis and cutaneous psoriasis. The Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) was used for evaluation of the severity of nail lesions. The presence of nail fold psoriasis (NFP) was also assessed. The severity of psoriasis was evaluated by calculating the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). As a result, the prevalence of nail psoriasis was 85.5%. Pitting was the most common clinical feature (55.6%). The severity of nail psoriasis was not affected by medical parameters, although patients with localized pustular psoriasis tended to have more severe nail psoriasis than did those with chronic plaque psoriasis. When comparing the mean NAPSI and the mean PASI according to nail lesions, we found that subungual hyperkeratosis (SH) and NFP were significantly associated with the severity of both nail psoriasis and cutaneous psoriasis. Psoriatic nail changes were most common in the first digit. Conclusively, the majority of patients with psoriasis had psoriatic nail involvement, and Koebner's response seems to be closely related to the induction of nail psoriasis. To limit progression of the disease, psoriatic patients with SH or NFP should be examined thoroughly because those clinical features reflect the levels of severity of both nail and cutaneous psoriasis.     

Marked improvement in nail psoriasis during treatment with etanercept

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects approximately 3% of the population. Up to 50% of patients with psoriasis have concurrent nail psoriasis, up to 30% of patients with skin psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis and of these, approximately 80% have nail disease. The treatment of nail psoriasis is often challenging, and there is a need for new therapeutic options. Effective biological agents used in the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis may represent a new therapeutic modality for this disease. A case of rapid improvement is reported in nail psoriasis under etanercept monotherapy with maintained efficacy following the withdrawal of continued therapy.     

Nail psoriasis successfully treated with intralesional methotrexate: case report

Psoriasis is a common, chronic disease which affects nearly 3% of the population. The lifetime incidence of nail involvement increases up to 80-90% for psoriatic patients. Nail psoriasis is considered a significant social problem. Many topical agents have been used for psoriatic nails with various side effects and some benefits; management is currently inconclusive. Methotrexate (MTX) is a folic acid analog, which irreversibly binds to dehydrofolate reductase and blocks deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis. It is considered a potential treatment option for rapidly growing cells and has an anti-inflammatory effect through inhibition of the polyamine pathway in autoimmune diseases. Intralesional MTX has been used successfully for various indications. We present a case successfully treated with low-dose intralesional MTX with no observed side effects in a 26-year-old female psoriatic patient suffering from nail dystrophy. In contrast, conventional topical and systemic therapies have various side effects, which limit their use. We conclude that intralesional MTX injection seems to be a safe and effective treatment option for nail psoriasis; however, large controlled studies are needed.     

Reporting of outcomes in randomized controlled trials on nail psoriasis: a systematic review

One of the important complications of the skin disease, psoriasis, is the appearance of changes in the nails. These range from the formation of small pits across the surface of the nail to painful separation of the nail plate from the underlying nail bed and disfiguring enlargement and thickening of the nail itself. Given this wide range of changes in appearance it is important that, in assessing the results of treatment, researchers can use simple, but accurate, criteria for measuring changes in psoriatic nails under treatment; these are known as core outcome sets. This study, organised by investigators from the departments of dermatology in the Universities of Amsterdam and Nijmegen in the Netherlands, surveyed 65 clinical trials focussing on nail psoriasis, all of which used assessment measures for nail changes in psoriasis, the commonest of which is called the nail psoriasis severity index. However, they found that several different methods were used in the various studies. A detailed analysis of these studies has identified a number of variations in the methods used which make the results of different treatments difficult to compare. This is particularly because there was no standard way of expressing the final scores of the severity of nail disease found in these studies and also that the different aspects of severity were rated differently. Some of these assessment scoring systems have not been validated (substantiated) either. The authors call for a rethink of the use of nail assessments in psoriasis and highlight the need to develop new methods which are sufficiently robust to stand up to close scrutiny. These should allow investigators to assess the different changes seen in the diseased nails in a standardised way, so that results of different studies can be compared. They suggest that a consensus group should be established to carry out this work.     

Management of nail psoriasis

Nail involvement is estimated to affect 80–90% of patients with psoriasis at some point in their lives and is often associated with severe disease. Patients with nail involvement experience pain, functional impairment and social stigma, with significant restriction of daily activities and quality of life. Nail psoriasis is also considered a risk factor for the development of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Management of nail psoriasis is deemed challenging and as a result, it is often left untreated by physicians. Assessing the severity of nail disease can also be difficult in clinical practice. While the Nail Psoriasis Severity Index is used widely in trials, it is time‐consuming and rarely used in the clinic, highlighting the need to develop a simplified disease severity score for nail psoriasis. All patients should be advised to keep their nails short, wear gloves for wet and dirty work, and regularly apply emollient to the nail folds and nail surface. Patients with mild nail psoriasis, without signs of severe cutaneous psoriasis or PsA, may benefit from topical treatment, while systemic treatment is indicated in patients with severe nail involvement. Evidence suggests that all anti‐tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, anti‐interleukin (IL)‐17, and anti‐IL‐12/23 antibodies available for plaque psoriasis and PsA are highly effective treatments for nail psoriasis. This article aims to provide an up‐to‐date review of the therapeutic options currently available for the management of nail psoriasis in patients with or without skin psoriasis. Therapeutic options for the management of nail psoriasis in children will also be discussed.     

Nail psoriasis--an ignored disorder. Pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy

Approximately 50% of all patients with psoriasis develop characteristic nail changes as a clinical correlate of psoriatic inflammation of the nail matrix and/or nail bed. The most frequent signs of nail psoriasis are pitting and distal onycholysis. The most commonly used score to assess the severity of nail involvement at present is the Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI). Although more than half of affected patients experience a significant physical and mental impairment, this index does not include patient-reported symptoms. There is a striking association between nail psoriasis and a higher risk of psoriatic arthritis with a prevalence of nail involvement among patients with psoriatic arthritis as high as 70%. A possible explanation is the close anatomical link between the nail apparatus and the distal interphalangeal joint; enthesitis of the latter is carried by fibers to the nail and becomes clinically visible as nail psoriasis. Nail involvement is not adequately reflected in current concepts of disease management. There is limited evidence for the efficacy of topical therapies in nail psoriasis. A number of large studies document an improvement of nail psoriasis in response to biologics and, more recently, also to methotrexate.     

Infliximab efficacy in nail psoriasis. A retrospective study in 48 patients

Background Nail psoriasis occurs in up to half of psoriatic patients and can lead to significant physical impairment and pain. To date, patients and clinicians are actually dissatisfied by current therapeutic approaches. Objective Our main aim is to evaluate Infliximab efficacy in nail psoriasis. Methods We performed an open‐label and uncontrolled retrospective study considering all psoriatic patients presenting recalcitrant nail involvement and receiving Infliximab in our Department during the period between January 2008 and March 2009. We calculated nail psoriasis severity index (NAPSI) score at 0, 14, 22 and 38 weeks and percentage of patients achieving NAPSI‐50,‐75,‐90 at 14, 22 and 38 weeks. Results We observed a rapid nail improvement in most cases after 22 weeks of Infliximab therapy, but a complete nail clearing was reached in only five (10.4%) patients. We don’t have a follow‐up longer than 38 weeks to assess long‐term efficacy of this treatment in nail psoriasis. Conclusions Infliximab, in our experience, has proved to be effective in reducing nail lesions and, in some cases, even clearing them. Our data demonstrate long‐term efficacy of this biological agent in nail psoriasis.     

Nail Psoriasis Severity Index: a useful tool for evaluation of nail psoriasis

The Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) is a numeric, reproducible, objective, simple tool for evaluation of nail psoriasis. This scale is used to evaluate the severity of nail bed psoriasis and nail matrix psoriasis by area of involvement in the nail unit. The NAPSI will be useful during clinical trials for evaluating response to treatment of psoriatic nails. The scale is reproducible, and because there are few data points, statistical analysis is simplified.     

Psoriasis in besonderen Lokalisationen

A large proportion of patients with plaque psoriasis suffer from psoriatic lesions of the scalp, nails, and intertrigines. These locations can also be soley or predominantly affected. Scalp psoriasis, nail psoriasis, and inverse psoriasis are often perceived as particularly stigmatizing. Involvement of these parts of the body is associated with an increased risk of psoriatic arthritis. Location-specific features must be considered when choosing treatment. Evidence for topical therapy of scalp psoriasis with steroids and combinations of steroids and vitamin D analogues is high. These agents are regarded as safe and effective treatments of first choice. Efficacy of TNF antagonists and apremilast is well documented for refractory scalp psoriasis. Nail psoriasis often responds insufficiently to topical therapy. Several effective systemic medications including methotrexate and TNF antagonists are available for treatment of severe forms. Controlled trials for treatment of inverse psoriasis are scarce. Topical steroids, vitamin D analogues, dithranol, and off-label calcineurin inhibitors are used in clinical practice. This review provides a survey on the clinical presentation and current evidence for treatment of psoriasis in challenging locations.     

Nail Psoriasis: The Journey So Far

Nail involvement is an extremely common feature of psoriasis and affects approximately 10-78% of psoriasis patients with 5-10% of patients having isolated nail psoriasis. However, it is often an overlooked feature in the management of nail psoriasis, despite the significant burden it places on the patients as a result of functional impairment of manual dexterity, pain, and psychological stress. Affected nail plates often thicken and crumble, and because they are very visible, patients tend to avoid normal day-to-day activities and social interactions. Importantly, 70-80% of patients with psoriatic arthritis have nail psoriasis. In this overview, we review the clinical manifestations of psoriasis affecting the nails, the common differential diagnosis of nail psoriasis, Nail Psoriasis Severity Index and the various diagnostic aids for diagnosing nail psoriasis especially, the cases with isolated nail involvement. We have also discussed the available treatment options, including the topical, physical, systemic, and biological modalities, in great detail in order to equip the present day dermatologist in dealing with a big clinical challenge, that is, management of nail psoriasis.     

Use of secukinumab in a pediatric patient leads to significant improvement in nail psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Many pediatric psoriasis patients suffer from nail involvement and psoriatic arthritis. In adults, biologic agents have demonstrated success in treating refractory nail psoriasis and arthritis, but studies are limited in children. In this report, we present a pediatric patient with severe, recalcitrant nail and joint psoriasis, successfully treated with secukinumab.     

Biologic therapy for acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau: Successful treatment with secukinumab and review of the literature

Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH) is a rare pustular psoriasis variant refractory to many conventional treatments. We report the successful treatment with secukinumab of a patient with a long history of ACH with marked onychodystrophy with frank pustulosis on the nail bed and with accompanying arthritis. Blockade of the IL‐17 receptor A has shown promise in the treatment of psoriatic erythroderma and generalized pustular psoriasis not responsive to conventional treatment. A rapid response was observed in our patient, in both skin lesions and arthritic symptoms, underlining the ability of secukinumab to improve symptoms beyond those of plaque psoriasis.     

Nail psoriasis.

Psoriatic nail involvement is common and accompanies skin lesions on the body surface. The occurrence of nail psoriasis has been reported in up to 50 percent of patients, including children, adults, and the elderly. The characteristics of psoriatic nails are pitting, discoloration, onycholysis, subungual hyperkeratosis, as well as crumbling and grooving of nails and splinter hemorrhages. There is no consistently effective treatment for psoriatic nail involvement; nails are difficult to treat and respond slowly to therapy. Corticosteroids, 5-fluorouracil, systemic agents such as photochemotherapy, oral retinoids, and methotrexate, and nail avulsion are among the therapeutic approaches utilized. We offer suggested measures whereby patients may benefit in the prevention and control of their nail psoriasis.     

Psoriasis of the nail: anatomy, pathology, clinical presentation, and a review of the literature on therapy

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that affects millions of people throughout the world. Even though cutaneous signs and symptoms are the most common clinical manifestations, the nails can be involved in up to 50% of cases, and their involvement remains an important yet often overlooked aspect of the disease. There is a broad spectrum of nail dystrophies associated with psoriasis, ranging from the common pitting and loosening of the nail plate to the less frequent discoloration and splinter hemorrhages seen in the nail bed. This article discusses the normal anatomy and embryology of the nail unit as well as the current understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease. It also provides an extensive review of the existing literature with respect to psoriatic nail therapy. Although there have been many recent advances in the treatment of the cutaneous form of the disease-most notably in the field of immunotherapies-the options for nail psoriasis are far more limited. While a number of treatment alternatives currently exist for nail disease, the general paucity of clear evidence regarding these choices often makes it difficult to select the most efficient, safe, and optimal treatment for the patient. Even though the current literature has shown some support for the use of topical, intralesional, radiation, systemic, and combination therapies for nail psoriasis, the available studies lack sufficient power to extrapolate a standardized therapeutic regimen. Therefore, until better-documented evidence validating the treatment options emerges within the literature, clinicians and patients are left with a vague and relatively unproven approach to psoriatic nail disease.     

Nail Psoriasis

Nail psoriasis is common, occurring in up to half of patients with psoriasis and in 90% of patients with psoriatic arthritis. Left untreated, it may progress to debilitating nail disease, which leads to significant functional impairment. The most common clinical signs of nail psoriasis are nail plate pitting and onycholysis. Other classical signs include oil drop discoloration, subungual hyperkeratosis, and splinter hemorrhages. The modified Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (mNAPSI) can be used to grade the severity of nail psoriasis, while the Nail Psoriasis Quality of Life Scale (NPQ10) is a questionnaire that evaluates the impact of nail psoriasis on the patient’s functional status and quality of life. Treatment of nail psoriasis should be individualized according to the patient’s preferences, severity of nail changes, and presence of skin and/or joint involvement. Both topical and intralesional therapies are safe and effective treatment modalities for nail disease, but are limited by poor adherence and pain, respectively. Systemic therapy such as oral retinoids may be considered for widespread nail disease causing significant morbidity. Among biologic agents, tumor necrosis factor-a inhibitors and T-cell-targeted therapies such as ustekinumab may be useful for refractory severe nail psoriasis.