Anti-TNF drug etanercept can help to ease the physical and psychological symptoms of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, according to new data presented at the spring symposium of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
Scientists presented results from the PRESTA trial, in which patients were given 50mg of etanercept (brand name Enbrel) once or twice a week for 12 weeks, followed by 50mg once a week for a further 12 weeks.
They found that patients typically showed clearer skin, a reduction in joint inflammation and significant improvements in quality of life after taking etanercept.
At the start of the study, the majority of patients had anxiety symptoms and more than one-third had depression.
However, analysis revealed that both once and twice-weekly doses of etanercept were associated with 25 to 30 per cent improvements in these symptoms.
Side-effects were also similar for the two treatment groups and the drug tended to be well tolerated, with adverse reactions including reactions at the site of injection, infections and headaches.
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/about_us/arthritis_news/articles/new_data_show_benefits_of.aspxI have a friend who takes enbrel for his psoratic arthritis... he's doing even better than I am.!! Bump