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In health technology assessment (HTA), beside network meta-analysis (NMA), indirect comparisons (IC) have become an important tool used to provide evidence between two treatments when no head-to-head data are available. Researchers may use the adjusted indirect comparison based on the Bucher method (AIC) or the matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC). While the Bucher method may provide biased results when included trials differ in baseline characteristics that influence the treatment outcome (treatment effect modifier), this issue may be addressed by applying the MAIC method if individual patient data (IPD) for at least one part of the AIC is available. Here, IPD is reweighted to match baseline characteristics and/or treatment effect modifiers of published data. However, the MAIC method does not provide a solution for situations when several common comparators are available. In these situations, assuming that the indirect comparison via the different common comparators is homogeneous, we propose merging these results by using meta-analysis methodology to provide a single, potentially more precise, treatment effect estimate. This paper introduces the method to combine several MAIC networks using classic meta-analysis techniques, it discusses the advantages and limitations of this approach, as well as demonstrates a practical application to combine several (M)AIC networks using data from Phase III psoriasis randomized control trials (RCT)., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Epithelial surface disruption in genital psoriatic lesions may manifest as erosions, fissures and/or ulcers, causing pain and significantly impacting a patient's sexual health., Objective: To evaluate the impact of erosions, fissures and/or ulcers in genital psoriatic lesions on pain and sexual activity in patients with moderate-to-severe genital psoriasis (GenPs) and treatment responses to ixekizumab vs. placebo until Week 12., Methods: This post hoc subgroup analysis of patients presenting with and without erosions, fissures and/or ulcers in genital lesions from a phase IIIb multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (IXORA-Q; NCT02718898) in 149 adults with moderate-to-severe GenPs treated with subcutaneous ixekizumab (80 mg every 2 weeks; n = 75) or placebo (n = 74) evaluated outcomes for clinician-rated GenPs severity (static Physician's Global Assessment of Genitalia; sPGA-G) and patient-reported genital pain and itch (Genital Psoriasis Symptoms Scale; GPSS) and sexual health (Genital Psoriasis Sexual Frequency Questionnaire; GenPs-SFQ)., Results: At baseline, 38% (n = 57) of patients presented with genital erosions, fissures and/or ulcers independent of overall body surface area involvement (<10% or ≥10%). These signs were associated with higher scores for disease severity (sPGA-G) and pain (GPSS) but not sexual health (GenPs-SFQ). Complete resolution of these signs was observed in 62% of ixekizumab-treated patients (25% for placebo) at Week 1 and 83% (21% for placebo) at Week 12. Patients treated with ixekizumab reported significant improvements in pain, itch, disease severity and sexual health over 12 weeks compared to placebo and irrespective of the presence/absence of genital erosions, fissures and/or ulcers at baseline., Conclusion: Ixekizumab led to rapid and sustained resolution of erosions, fissures and/or ulcers and significant improvements in GenPs severity, genital pain and sexual health. Ixekizumab may help to improve the well-being of patients with GenPs., (© 2020 Eli Lilly. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)