Background: Three categories of biologics-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, interleukin (IL) -17 inhibitors, and IL-23 inhibitors-are available for treatment of refractory psoriasis. Recent studies have shown that laboratory biomarkers such as peripheral blood neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are associated with psoriasis or its severity. This study evaluated associations of transition of NLR, PLR, MLR, and CRP with transition of disease activity in psoriasis patients treated with the three categories of biologics.
Methods: Data from 67 patients were analyzed. Associations of transition of psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score with the abovementioned laboratory markers were evaluated by using a mixed effects model with PASI as the response variable, laboratory markers as fixed effects collectively, and patients as random effects.
Results: In an analysis of all the patients, serum CRP and NLR were associated with PASI score (P=0.006 and P=0.001, respectively). In patients treated with TNF inhibitors, CRP and NLR were associated with PASI score (P=0.043 and P=0.002, respectively). In patients treated with IL-17 inhibitors, NLR was associated with PASI score (P=0.001).
Conclusions: NLR appears to be the most reliable biomarker of the effect of treatment with biologics, especially IL-17 inhibitors.
Keywords: association study; biologics; disease activity; laboratory marker; transition.