Survival rate of antitumour necrosis factor-α treatments for psoriasis in routine dermatological practice: a multicentre observational study

Summary Background Adherence is an overall marker of treatment success, and it depends on multiple factors including efficacy and safety. Despite the wide use of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α blockers in the treatment of plaque‐type psoriasis, few data regarding treatment adherence in routine clinical practice are available. Objectives To estimate the long‐term survival rate of anti‐TNF‐α therapy in a cohort of patients with psoriasis in routine clinical practice; to evaluate the reasons for and predictors of treatment discontinuation. Methods The Outcome and Survival rate Concerning Anti‐TNF Routine treatment (OSCAR) study was based on a retrospective analysis to estimate the long‐term survival rate of the first anti‐TNF‐α treatment in patients with psoriasis, from three Italian academic referral centres. Adult patients (n = 650) with plaque psoriasis treated with a first course of adalimumab, etanercept or infliximab for ≥ 3 months were included. Results Global adherence to anti‐TNF‐α treatments after 28·9 ± 15·4 months (867 ± 462 days) of observation was 72·6%. Etanercept showed a longer survival (mean 51·4 months, 1565 days; P