Greater PASI reductions lead to less impairment in social and sexual life

Both therapies with guselkumab and adalimumab improved social relationships and sexual health in patients with psoriasis compared with placebo at week 12. At week 24, guselkumab was superior to adalimumab regarding the improvement of social relationships and sexual health.

Data on the association of social relationships and sexual health with different psoriasis treatments is scarce. Therefore, an analysis of phase 3, randomised, double-blind VOYAGE 1 and 2 trials (NCT02207231 and NCT02207244) assessed the influence of therapy with guselkumab or adalimumab on social relationships and sexual difficulties in patients with psoriasis [1]. Impairment in these domains was assessed with questions 8 and 9 of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) (being question 8 the following: “Over the last week, how much has your skin created problems with your partner or any of your close friends or relatives”, and question 9: “Over the last week, how much has your skin caused any sexual difficulties”). Impaired social relationships and sexual difficulties were defined by a response of “a lot” or “very much”.

At baseline, patients with higher Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) tended to have also greater difficulties in these domains, which was especially true for women. After treatment with guselkumab and adalimumab, the proportion of participating men and women having difficulties in their social or sexual life declined. Greater improvements were seen in patients with a better PASI response.

At baseline, 31.2% to 34.9% of men and 38.9% to 44.1% of women had difficulties in social relationships. At week 12, a significant improvement could be seen with active treatments compared with placebo in both sexes. Both social and sexual impairments further improved continuously through week 24. At this time, in both sexes, treatment with guselkumab resulted in a significantly lower proportion of patients with impaired social relationships or sexual difficulties versus placebo, but also versus adalimumab. At week 24, only 3.8% of women treated with guselkumab versus 14.1% with adalimumab still had impairment in their social life (P<0.001). The percentage of patients with sexual impairment was similar (2.1% of women treated with guselkumab compared with 11.0% of those treated with adalimumab; P<0.001).

The authors concluded that in both men and women with psoriasis, guselkumab treatment resulted in lower proportions of patients with impaired social relationships or sexual difficulties compared with placebo at week 16 and adalimumab at week 24.

1. Armstrong A, et al. Social relationships, sexual difficulty, and the impact of treatment with guselkumab versus adalimumab in men and women with psoriasis: results from VOYAGE 1 and 2. P128, SPIN 2022 Congress, 6-8 July, Paris, France.

 

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Posted on 26 August 2022