Efficacy of treatment of patients with psoriasis with anxiety and depression with interleukin‑23 inhibitor guselkumab

Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated systemic disease that is closely associated with comorbid depression and anxiety disorders. Today, a new direction of therapy is represented by biological therapy. One of the effective and safe drugs is the IL‑23 inhibitor guselkumab. Purpose of the study. To study the effectiveness of therapy with the interleukin‑23 inhibitor (guselkumab) and the dynamics of indicators of symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with moderate and severe psoriasis. Material and methods. A retrospective study of 25 patients diagnosed with widespread vulgar psoriasis was conducted. Initial indicators were assessed using the PASI, BSA, sPGA, DLQI, and VAS (itching scale) indices. Anxiety and depression scores were assessed using the HADS and GAD‑7 scales. All patients received treatment with guselkumab according to the standard regimen. The effectiveness of therapy was assessed by the dynamics of PASI, BSA, sPGA, DLQI, VAS, HADS, GAD‑7 indicators after 12 weeks of therapy with the interleukin‑23 inhibitor (guselkumab). Results. Biological therapy with guselkumab resulted in significant reductions in all parameters at 12 weeks for each patient (p < 0.0001). Only improvement in PASI was significantly correlated with lower depression and anxiety scores (p < 0.0050), whereas decrease in DLQI was not (p > 0.9550). Conclusions. Biological therapy with the interleukin‑23 inhibitor guselkumab is highly effective in both reducing disease severity and alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety in psoriasis.