Risk of herpes zoster with IL-17 inhibitor therapy for psoriasis and other inflammatory conditions.

Risk of herpes zoster with IL-17 inhibitor therapy for psoriasis and other inflammatory conditions. J Dermatolog Treat. 2019 Mar 22;:1-32 Authors: Wu KK, Lee MP, Lee EB, Wu JJ Abstract Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that has been associated with a significantly higher risk of herpes zoster (HZ). Several newer biologics such as secukinumab, ixekizumab, and brodalumab inhibit IL-17 and have been highly effective for treatment of psoriasis. However, adverse events related to the immunosuppressive properties of these biologics have been observed. This review aims to synthesize and evaluate the literature investigating the risk of HZ in patients treated with IL-17 inhibitors, with a focus on psoriasis patients. Clinical trials, cohort studies, review articles, and meta-analyses were evaluated. No case reports or case series were found with our search. Studies did not detect a higher risk of HZ infections in psoriasis patients treated with IL-17 inhibitors when compared to those treated with placebo or other therapies. Studies of IL-17 inhibitors for other indications including psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and asthma yielded similar results. However, IL-17 inhibitors are relatively new medications, and further long-term data may be necessary to confirm whether IL-17 inhibitors increase the risk of HZ. Nevertheless, HZ vaccination should be considered on a case-by-case basis prior to i...
Source: Journal of Dermatological Treatment - Category: Dermatology Tags: J Dermatolog Treat Source Type: research