Although psoriatic arthritis normally affects only people with psoriasis, skin and joint problems usually don't develop simultaneously. Many people have psoriasis long before they develop arthritic symptoms, and a few have joint pain for decades before skin symptoms appear. But to receive a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis, you must have signs and symptoms of both conditions:
Patches of thick, red skin covered with silvery scales, especially on your elbows, knees, scalp or the lower end of your spine. These patches (plaques often itch or burn, and the skin at your joints may crack.
Pain, redness, swelling and reduced motion in your joints — especially the small joints at the ends of your fingers and toes. The joints in your spine and your sacroiliac joints — the two large joints that connect your pelvis and the triangular bone at the end of your spine (sacrum) — also may be affected.
Stiffness and fatigue in the morning.
Pitted, discolored nails that may separate from the nail beds.
Eye inflammations such as conjunctivitis or iritis.
In addition to general arthritic symptoms, there are five distinct types of psoriatic arthritis, each with its own characteristics:
Asymmetric arthritis. The mildest form of psoriatic arthritis, asymmetric arthritis usually affects joints on only one side of your body or different joints on each side — including those in your hip, knee, ankle or wrist. One to three joints are generally involved, and they're often tender and red. When asymmetric arthritis occurs in your hands and feet, swelling and inflammation in the tendons can cause your fingers and toes to resemble small sausages (dactylitis).
Symmetric arthritis. Unlike asymmetric arthritis, symmetric arthritis usually affects four or more of the same joints on both sides of your body. It's similar to rheumatoid arthritis, one of the most common and debilitating of the many arthritic conditions. Although symmetric arthritis is generally milder than rheumatoid arthritis, it can cause progressively disabling joint damage. More women than men have symmetric arthritis, and psoriasis associated with this condition tends to be severe.
Distal interphalangeal joint predominant (DIP). A small percentage of people with psoriatic arthritis — most of them men — have DIP, which affects the small joints closest to the nails (distal joints) in the fingers and toes. DIP is sometimes misdiagnosed as osteoarthritis, a type of arthritis that results from the destruction of cartilage on the ends of the bones. But psoriatic arthritis usually causes nail problems that don't occur with osteoarthritis.
Spondylitis. This form of psoriatic arthritis can cause inflammation in your spine as well as stiffness and inflammation in your neck, lower back or sacroiliac joints. Inflammation can also occur where ligaments and tendons attach to your spine. As the disease progresses, movement tends to become increasingly painful and difficult. Psoriatic spondylitis isn't the same as ankylosing spondylitis, another arthritic condition. Ankylosing spondylitis doesn't occur with psoriasis and usually affects the entire spine, whereas psoriatic spondylitis may affect only your neck or low back.
Arthritis mutilans. A small percentage of people with psoriatic arthritis have arthritis mutilans — a severe, painful and crippling form of the disease. Over time, arthritis mutilans destroys the small bones in the hands, especially the fingers, leading to permanent deformity and disability.
The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are likely to be better at some times and worse at others. But because skin and joint problems frequently flare up and go into remission at different times, you may have severe psoriasis when your joints are relatively pain-free and aching joints when your skin clears.
Juvenile psoriatic arthritisChildren with psoriatic arthritis usually develop signs and symptoms of the disease around age 9 or 10. Symptoms are often mild, although some children may have severe and debilitating problems that last into adulthood.
In general, children have many of the same signs and symptoms that adults do, but they're more likely to develop skin and joint problems simultaneously. And because children's bones are still forming, abnormal bone development can affect growth.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Psoriatic Arthritis
Tens of millions of Americans experience the pain and physical limitations of arthritis. Yet arthritis isn't a single medical problem but a group of more than 100 conditions that can cause inflammation in your joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones.
One of these conditions is psoriatic arthritis, which may affect as many as 1 million of the approximately 6 million Americans who have psoriasis. Most are adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s, but children also can develop a form of the disease.
In addition to the inflamed, scaly skin that's typical of psoriasis, people with psoriatic arthritis have swollen, painful joints — especially in their fingers and toes — and pitted, discolored nails. They may also develop inflammatory eye conditions such as conjunctivitis.
There are several types of psoriatic arthritis, with symptoms that range from mild to severe. In general, the disease isn't as crippling as other forms of arthritis, but if left untreated it can cause discomfort, disability and deformity. Although no cure exists for psoriatic arthritis, medication, physical therapy and lifestyle changes often can relieve pain and slow the progression of joint damage.
One of these conditions is psoriatic arthritis, which may affect as many as 1 million of the approximately 6 million Americans who have psoriasis. Most are adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s, but children also can develop a form of the disease.
In addition to the inflamed, scaly skin that's typical of psoriasis, people with psoriatic arthritis have swollen, painful joints — especially in their fingers and toes — and pitted, discolored nails. They may also develop inflammatory eye conditions such as conjunctivitis.
There are several types of psoriatic arthritis, with symptoms that range from mild to severe. In general, the disease isn't as crippling as other forms of arthritis, but if left untreated it can cause discomfort, disability and deformity. Although no cure exists for psoriatic arthritis, medication, physical therapy and lifestyle changes often can relieve pain and slow the progression of joint damage.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Treating Psoriasis With Immune Suppressants, Steroids, Lotions And Tar
Topical lotions, ointments, creams, gels, and shampoos for the skin and scalp are prescribed for mild-to-moderate cases of psoriasis or in combination with other treatments for more severe cases. FDA-approved prescription topicals to treat psoriasis include corticosteroids, retinoids, calcipotriene, and coal tar products. These drugs slow down skin cell production and reduce inflammation.
Corticosteroids are synthetic drugs that resemble naturally occurring hormones. Side effects may include thinning of the skin and stretch marks at the area where the topical is applied. Corticosteroids may also suppress the adrenal glands' production of natural steroids, which could leave the body susceptible to disease.
Retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A and calcipotriene is a synthetic form of vitamin D. Retinoids and calcipotriene are not the same as over-the-counter vitamin A and D supplements, which have no value for treating psoriasis, says Wilkin. "These topical creams on the skin deliver the vitamin-like chemicals right to where you want them," he says. Skin irritation where the topical is applied may be a side effect. Retinoids are also available by prescription as oral systemic drugs.
Coal tar products can help with scaling, itching, and inflammation but are not used as commonly as some other topicals, says Lindstrom. They are messy, can stain, and have a strong odor.
Carol Bentson of Washington, D.C., has had plaque psoriasis for more than 30 years, causing "major itching" all over and pain along the scalp line. She has treated it with topical corticosteroids, ultraviolet light, and cortisone injected into her scalp, elbows, toes, and legs. At times, "ointment wouldn't penetrate the areas of heavy plaque buildup, no matter how much I put on," she says.
Bentson has accumulated "sacks of lotions" to treat psoriasis. She would find a topical treatment that worked for a while but then quit working, forcing her to switch to another one.
"With a potent topical steroid, there is a phenomenon called tachyphylaxis," says Craig Leonardi, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Saint Louis University Medical School. "Prolonged use can cause down-regulation [decrease] of steroid receptors in cells. The net effect is that the skin becomes less responsive to steroids over time."
Wilkin adds that this unresponsiveness may be a temporary effect. "A patient may need to be off the steroid for a few days or a week and when put back on it, the responsiveness could come back."
Exposing the skin to ultraviolet (UV) light--either from the sun or an artificial source--sets off a biological process that kills T cells, which slows the buildup of skin cells and reduces inflammation.
Light boxes that emit UV light to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis and other skin diseases are medical devices that require licensing by the FDA. A person steps into the light box, which is about the size of a telephone booth, while lamps direct the light onto the body.
"Treatment with these devices is complex," says Richard Felten, an FDA chemist and senior medical device reviewer. The physician must determine an individual's sensitivity to UV and adjust the light emissions for the most effective treatment with the least risk of side effects, he says. Side effects may include burning, darkened skin, premature aging, and skin cancer. Three to five treatments per week for several weeks or months may be needed to get the psoriasis under control, followed by weekly maintenance treatments.
Light therapy, or phototherapy, is usually done in the physician's office or a medical facility that has the devices, says Felten. "The FDA has cleared some devices for home use under certain conditions and with a doctor's prescription," he says. Home devices include handheld devices for scalp psoriasis and stand-alone light boxes for other areas of the body.
Light therapy usually involves a short wavelength of ultraviolet light, called UVB. For people with resistant moderate-to-severe psoriasis, a combination of an oral or topical drug called psoralen and a longer wavelength ultraviolet A (UVA) light is used. This treatment is called "psoralen plus UVA" (PUVA).
"Psoralen makes the patient more sensitive to the UVA," says Lindstrom, "so once they've taken a dose of psoralen, a smaller dose of UVA is needed to treat them." Patients must be very careful to protect both skin and eyes for 24 hours after psoralen use to prevent damage, she says.
The FDA has also approved a special type of laser, an excimer laser, as a phototherapy device to treat mild-to-moderate psoriasis. "These lasers can deliver a much more controlled beam of light to small areas of the affected skin," says Felten.
The FDA has approved oral and injected drugs that circulate throughout the body to treat psoriasis that is moderate, severe, or disabling. These systemic drugs are very powerful, and while some may be used continuously, others can only be used for a limited time because of their severe side effects. Once a drug is discontinued, the psoriasis may reactivate. The risk of birth defects prevents many systemics from being taken by pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant.
Systemic drugs that may be prescribed for psoriasis include acitretin, methotrexate, cyclosporine, and biologics, which are drugs made from proteins of living cells. Methotrexate, cyclosporine, and the biologic drugs are immunosuppressants, meaning they lower the body's normal immune response. "These drugs suppress the immune cells that cause psoriasis, but they don't distinguish these cells from the immune cells that protect our body from infections," says Elektra Papadopoulos, M.D., an FDA dermatologist.
Acitretin, a retinoid that is given orally for severe psoriasis, helps normalize the growth of skin cells. One of the side effects is raised fat (lipid) levels in the blood, and people taking this drug must get regular blood tests to monitor their cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Methotrexate and cyclosporine slow the growth of skin cells. Methotrexate, taken orally or by injection, is also a chemotherapy drug for cancer patients. Cyclosporine, taken orally, was first approved to prevent organ rejection in transplant recipients. People using either of these drugs must be closely monitored and should use them only for short periods of time because of serious, potentially fatal, side effects.
Biologics are the newest systemic psoriasis treatments. Since 2003, the FDA has licensed three biologics to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: Amevive (alefacept), manufactured by Biogen Inc.; Raptiva (efalizumab), made by Genentech Inc.; and Enbrel (etanercept), marketed by Amgen Inc. and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Enbrel was first licensed in 2002 to treat the arthritis associated with psoriasis, and in 2004 to treat psoriasis itself.
"All are immunosuppressive and have different proposed mechanisms," says Papadopoulos. Amevive simultaneously reduces the number of immune cells, including T cells, and inhibits T-cell activation. Raptiva inhibits the activation of T cells and the migration of those cells across blood vessels and into tissues, including the skin.
Enbrel inhibits the action of an inflammatory chemical messenger in the immune system called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which is believed to play a role in both the skin and the joint symptoms of psoriasis.
All three biologics are injected. The FDA has licensed Amevive to be given in a physician's office, either injected into the muscle or into a vein (intravenously). It's a once-a-week treatment for 12 weeks; further treatments may be given after a waiting period.
The FDA has licensed Raptiva and Enbrel for home treatment. People can inject themselves with Raptiva under the skin once a week or with Enbrel once or twice a week. Both drugs are recommended for continuous use to maintain results.
Since biologic drugs are immunosuppressants, they may carry an increased risk of infection and cancer. Rare but serious effects have also included blood abnormalities and autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Other side effects are flu-like symptoms and pain and inflammation at the injection site.
Some dermatologists prescribe biologics alone for psoriasis or in combination with topical treatments. Leonardi says when he prescribes biologics, "I don't have to resort to adding other systemic therapies such as methotrexate, cyclosporine, acitretin, or phototherapy."
"Biologics are an alternative treatment to some of the traditional therapies," says Papadopoulos.
"Now we need to get the expense down," says Leonardi, who has patients who pay $30,000 per year on drugs to treat psoriasis.
Bird feels fortunate that her insurance company covers most of the expense of Enbrel, which is prescribed for both her psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Because of the arthritis pain, she has used a cane to help her walk and has had surgery on her wrist to correct some of the arthritis damage. Although Enbrel has been less effective over time for the psoriasis, she says, it's reduced her arthritic pain by about 95 percent. "I can jog down to the corner to chase after the dog," she says. "And last summer, I went hiking with my children in Colorado."
Reducing Treatment Risks
Biologics, other systemic drugs, and phototherapy are powerful treatments with increased risks, says Lindstrom.
Biologics may raise the risk for developing cancer and serious bacterial or fungal infections that spread throughout the body (sepsis).
Cyclosporine can damage the kidneys, methotrexate puts the liver and lungs at risk, and phototherapy can cause skin cancer. To reduce these risks, doctors often put patients on "rotational therapy." "The thought is by moving from one therapy to another therapy over time, the risk to any individual organ is reduced," says Lindstrom.
"We also try to choose a drug with an appropriate benefit-risk ratio," she says. For mild psoriasis, a topical steroid may be appropriate. For more severe disease, where it becomes impractical to apply topicals over a large surface area several times a day, a patient may need a systemic treatment.
Most of the highly effective treatments for psoriasis affect the immune system in some way. For steroid drugs, which have been around for more than 50 years, the risks are well known. But less is known about the long-term side effects of newer drugs, such as the biologics. The safety and side effects of biologics and other immune-suppressing drugs to treat psoriasis continue to be monitored by drug manufacturers and the FDA.
For many people, dealing with the emotional impact of psoriasis can be as challenging as treating the disease.
Bird says that mothers have pulled their children away from her on the subway, and some people, horrified by her skin lesions, have asked her if she has AIDS. As her disease has evolved over 30 years, so has Bird's way of dealing with these reactions. In her teens, she'd tell people she had leprosy just for the shock value, she says. Today, Bird is open about the disease but still relies on her defiant attitude to "steel myself for the experience" of going to the beach. "I love to swim," she says. But Bird knows that without covering herself up in a public place, she "runs the risk of people just rubbernecking."
"When I'm feeling forgiving, I try to ignore them," she says, "but when I'm angry, I think 'didn't your mother teach you not to stare?'"
Bird advises others with psoriasis to find out what works best for them to cope with the emotional effects of the disease. Going to therapy has helped her, she says. So has leading a support group for psoriasis sufferers. "It's important for people to work on their emotional well-being," says Bird, "however they choose--whether it's meditation, yoga, or putting on long pants and going out dancing."
Researchers continue to look for reasons why immune cells overreact and what genes may be responsible for psoriasis, hoping to find better treatments, and eventually a cure. Psoriasis research is aided by the visibility of the symptoms on the skin.
"You can see the disease," says Leonardi. "You don't have to do invasive testing to see the effects of therapy." Psoriasis research has a "tremendous spillover into other fields besides dermatology," he adds. "There is a huge need for drugs to suppress the immune system without the side effects."
Multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes are just a few of the diseases that may also benefit from psoriasis research.
Corticosteroids are synthetic drugs that resemble naturally occurring hormones. Side effects may include thinning of the skin and stretch marks at the area where the topical is applied. Corticosteroids may also suppress the adrenal glands' production of natural steroids, which could leave the body susceptible to disease.
Retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A and calcipotriene is a synthetic form of vitamin D. Retinoids and calcipotriene are not the same as over-the-counter vitamin A and D supplements, which have no value for treating psoriasis, says Wilkin. "These topical creams on the skin deliver the vitamin-like chemicals right to where you want them," he says. Skin irritation where the topical is applied may be a side effect. Retinoids are also available by prescription as oral systemic drugs.
Coal tar products can help with scaling, itching, and inflammation but are not used as commonly as some other topicals, says Lindstrom. They are messy, can stain, and have a strong odor.
Carol Bentson of Washington, D.C., has had plaque psoriasis for more than 30 years, causing "major itching" all over and pain along the scalp line. She has treated it with topical corticosteroids, ultraviolet light, and cortisone injected into her scalp, elbows, toes, and legs. At times, "ointment wouldn't penetrate the areas of heavy plaque buildup, no matter how much I put on," she says.
Bentson has accumulated "sacks of lotions" to treat psoriasis. She would find a topical treatment that worked for a while but then quit working, forcing her to switch to another one.
"With a potent topical steroid, there is a phenomenon called tachyphylaxis," says Craig Leonardi, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Saint Louis University Medical School. "Prolonged use can cause down-regulation [decrease] of steroid receptors in cells. The net effect is that the skin becomes less responsive to steroids over time."
Wilkin adds that this unresponsiveness may be a temporary effect. "A patient may need to be off the steroid for a few days or a week and when put back on it, the responsiveness could come back."
Exposing the skin to ultraviolet (UV) light--either from the sun or an artificial source--sets off a biological process that kills T cells, which slows the buildup of skin cells and reduces inflammation.
Light boxes that emit UV light to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis and other skin diseases are medical devices that require licensing by the FDA. A person steps into the light box, which is about the size of a telephone booth, while lamps direct the light onto the body.
"Treatment with these devices is complex," says Richard Felten, an FDA chemist and senior medical device reviewer. The physician must determine an individual's sensitivity to UV and adjust the light emissions for the most effective treatment with the least risk of side effects, he says. Side effects may include burning, darkened skin, premature aging, and skin cancer. Three to five treatments per week for several weeks or months may be needed to get the psoriasis under control, followed by weekly maintenance treatments.
Light therapy, or phototherapy, is usually done in the physician's office or a medical facility that has the devices, says Felten. "The FDA has cleared some devices for home use under certain conditions and with a doctor's prescription," he says. Home devices include handheld devices for scalp psoriasis and stand-alone light boxes for other areas of the body.
Light therapy usually involves a short wavelength of ultraviolet light, called UVB. For people with resistant moderate-to-severe psoriasis, a combination of an oral or topical drug called psoralen and a longer wavelength ultraviolet A (UVA) light is used. This treatment is called "psoralen plus UVA" (PUVA).
"Psoralen makes the patient more sensitive to the UVA," says Lindstrom, "so once they've taken a dose of psoralen, a smaller dose of UVA is needed to treat them." Patients must be very careful to protect both skin and eyes for 24 hours after psoralen use to prevent damage, she says.
The FDA has also approved a special type of laser, an excimer laser, as a phototherapy device to treat mild-to-moderate psoriasis. "These lasers can deliver a much more controlled beam of light to small areas of the affected skin," says Felten.
The FDA has approved oral and injected drugs that circulate throughout the body to treat psoriasis that is moderate, severe, or disabling. These systemic drugs are very powerful, and while some may be used continuously, others can only be used for a limited time because of their severe side effects. Once a drug is discontinued, the psoriasis may reactivate. The risk of birth defects prevents many systemics from being taken by pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant.
Systemic drugs that may be prescribed for psoriasis include acitretin, methotrexate, cyclosporine, and biologics, which are drugs made from proteins of living cells. Methotrexate, cyclosporine, and the biologic drugs are immunosuppressants, meaning they lower the body's normal immune response. "These drugs suppress the immune cells that cause psoriasis, but they don't distinguish these cells from the immune cells that protect our body from infections," says Elektra Papadopoulos, M.D., an FDA dermatologist.
Acitretin, a retinoid that is given orally for severe psoriasis, helps normalize the growth of skin cells. One of the side effects is raised fat (lipid) levels in the blood, and people taking this drug must get regular blood tests to monitor their cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Methotrexate and cyclosporine slow the growth of skin cells. Methotrexate, taken orally or by injection, is also a chemotherapy drug for cancer patients. Cyclosporine, taken orally, was first approved to prevent organ rejection in transplant recipients. People using either of these drugs must be closely monitored and should use them only for short periods of time because of serious, potentially fatal, side effects.
Biologics are the newest systemic psoriasis treatments. Since 2003, the FDA has licensed three biologics to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: Amevive (alefacept), manufactured by Biogen Inc.; Raptiva (efalizumab), made by Genentech Inc.; and Enbrel (etanercept), marketed by Amgen Inc. and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Enbrel was first licensed in 2002 to treat the arthritis associated with psoriasis, and in 2004 to treat psoriasis itself.
"All are immunosuppressive and have different proposed mechanisms," says Papadopoulos. Amevive simultaneously reduces the number of immune cells, including T cells, and inhibits T-cell activation. Raptiva inhibits the activation of T cells and the migration of those cells across blood vessels and into tissues, including the skin.
Enbrel inhibits the action of an inflammatory chemical messenger in the immune system called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which is believed to play a role in both the skin and the joint symptoms of psoriasis.
All three biologics are injected. The FDA has licensed Amevive to be given in a physician's office, either injected into the muscle or into a vein (intravenously). It's a once-a-week treatment for 12 weeks; further treatments may be given after a waiting period.
The FDA has licensed Raptiva and Enbrel for home treatment. People can inject themselves with Raptiva under the skin once a week or with Enbrel once or twice a week. Both drugs are recommended for continuous use to maintain results.
Since biologic drugs are immunosuppressants, they may carry an increased risk of infection and cancer. Rare but serious effects have also included blood abnormalities and autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Other side effects are flu-like symptoms and pain and inflammation at the injection site.
Some dermatologists prescribe biologics alone for psoriasis or in combination with topical treatments. Leonardi says when he prescribes biologics, "I don't have to resort to adding other systemic therapies such as methotrexate, cyclosporine, acitretin, or phototherapy."
"Biologics are an alternative treatment to some of the traditional therapies," says Papadopoulos.
"Now we need to get the expense down," says Leonardi, who has patients who pay $30,000 per year on drugs to treat psoriasis.
Bird feels fortunate that her insurance company covers most of the expense of Enbrel, which is prescribed for both her psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Because of the arthritis pain, she has used a cane to help her walk and has had surgery on her wrist to correct some of the arthritis damage. Although Enbrel has been less effective over time for the psoriasis, she says, it's reduced her arthritic pain by about 95 percent. "I can jog down to the corner to chase after the dog," she says. "And last summer, I went hiking with my children in Colorado."
Reducing Treatment Risks
Biologics, other systemic drugs, and phototherapy are powerful treatments with increased risks, says Lindstrom.
Biologics may raise the risk for developing cancer and serious bacterial or fungal infections that spread throughout the body (sepsis).
Cyclosporine can damage the kidneys, methotrexate puts the liver and lungs at risk, and phototherapy can cause skin cancer. To reduce these risks, doctors often put patients on "rotational therapy." "The thought is by moving from one therapy to another therapy over time, the risk to any individual organ is reduced," says Lindstrom.
"We also try to choose a drug with an appropriate benefit-risk ratio," she says. For mild psoriasis, a topical steroid may be appropriate. For more severe disease, where it becomes impractical to apply topicals over a large surface area several times a day, a patient may need a systemic treatment.
Most of the highly effective treatments for psoriasis affect the immune system in some way. For steroid drugs, which have been around for more than 50 years, the risks are well known. But less is known about the long-term side effects of newer drugs, such as the biologics. The safety and side effects of biologics and other immune-suppressing drugs to treat psoriasis continue to be monitored by drug manufacturers and the FDA.
For many people, dealing with the emotional impact of psoriasis can be as challenging as treating the disease.
Bird says that mothers have pulled their children away from her on the subway, and some people, horrified by her skin lesions, have asked her if she has AIDS. As her disease has evolved over 30 years, so has Bird's way of dealing with these reactions. In her teens, she'd tell people she had leprosy just for the shock value, she says. Today, Bird is open about the disease but still relies on her defiant attitude to "steel myself for the experience" of going to the beach. "I love to swim," she says. But Bird knows that without covering herself up in a public place, she "runs the risk of people just rubbernecking."
"When I'm feeling forgiving, I try to ignore them," she says, "but when I'm angry, I think 'didn't your mother teach you not to stare?'"
Bird advises others with psoriasis to find out what works best for them to cope with the emotional effects of the disease. Going to therapy has helped her, she says. So has leading a support group for psoriasis sufferers. "It's important for people to work on their emotional well-being," says Bird, "however they choose--whether it's meditation, yoga, or putting on long pants and going out dancing."
Researchers continue to look for reasons why immune cells overreact and what genes may be responsible for psoriasis, hoping to find better treatments, and eventually a cure. Psoriasis research is aided by the visibility of the symptoms on the skin.
"You can see the disease," says Leonardi. "You don't have to do invasive testing to see the effects of therapy." Psoriasis research has a "tremendous spillover into other fields besides dermatology," he adds. "There is a huge need for drugs to suppress the immune system without the side effects."
Multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes are just a few of the diseases that may also benefit from psoriasis research.
Monday, April 10, 2006
The Guttate Psoriasis Picture
Guttate psoriasis is characterized by small red dots (or drops) of psoriasis. Guttate is derived from the Latin word gutta meaning "drop." It often appears on the trunk, arms and legs. The lesions may have some scale. Guttate psoriasis frequently appears suddenly following a streptococcal infection or viral upper respiratory infections. There are also other events that can precipitate an attack of guttate psoriasis: tonsillitis, a cold, chicken pox, immunizations, physical trauma, psychological stress, illness, and the administration of anti-malarial drugs. Guttate psoriasis is many small patches of psoriasis, all over the body, and often happens after a throat infection. Guttate Psoriasis most often affects children and young adults. It appears as small, red bumps-the size of drops of water-on the skin. It usually appears suddenly, often several weeks after an infection such as strep throat.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Biotech Sells Psoriasis Treatment Amevive To Japanese Drug Maker
Biotech company Biogen Idec Inc. said Monday it agreed to sell the worldwide rights of Amevive, a psoriasis treatment, to the U.S. arm of Japanese drug maker Astellas Pharma Inc., for $60 million.
A Biogen spokesman said the deal also includes undisclosed royalty payments.
Biogen said it will continue to manufacture Amevive, a biologic anti-inflammatory compound, and supply it to Astellas. Biogen added it expects the transaction to close as early as mid-April.
A Biogen spokesman said the deal also includes undisclosed royalty payments.
Biogen said it will continue to manufacture Amevive, a biologic anti-inflammatory compound, and supply it to Astellas. Biogen added it expects the transaction to close as early as mid-April.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)