Clinical efficacy of platelet rich plasma in combination with methotrexate in chronic plaque psoriatic patients

ABSTRACT Psoriasis affects up to 3% of the world's population or more than 125 million people. There is an urgent need for new treatment strategy, as up to 50% of patients are not satisfied with current therapies. We evaluated the combined efficiency of platelet rich plasma (PRP) and methotrexate (MTX) in the management of patients with plaque psoriasis. Twenty‐one patients with chronic plaque psoriasis were recruited in the study. Sixteen patients were assigned into combinational treatment group (PRP + MTX) and monotherapy group (MTX alone) consisted of five patients. All patients in combinational therapy received autologous PRP in their first sitting and subsequently followed with folitrax‐15 for 4 weeks, while patients in monotherapy group received only folitrax‐15, all patients received intra‐lesional injections. Digital photograph, Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score and adverse events were recorded at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 and were evaluated by three investigators independently. Patients treated with PRP/MTX showed substantial improvement in term of reduction in erythema, induration and desquamation at each visit and was effectively cleared off psoriasis at week 16. Combination treatment of PRP with MTX was well tolerated by all patients without any serious adverse events.