Prevalence of Phototherapy in the Age of Biologics.

Background: The prevalence of narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) use in Europe for moderate and severe psoriasis is unknown, because national registries for psoriasis do not monitor this treatment.
Objectives: To quantify the use of phototherapy, biologics or conventional treatments in psoriasis, in a setting where European Medicines Agency (EMA) eligibility criteria for biologics were strictly applied, and phototherapy was included among first-line treatments.
Methods: We followed a cohort of 1,090 patients who were referred to the only centre entitled to prescribe biologics and phototherapy during a 5-year period.
Results: The cumulative number of treatment cycles was: 1,047 with NB-UVB phototherapy, 650 with systemic treatments and 239 with biologics; 754 patients received at least 1 course of NB-UVB phototherapy, 422 at least 1 course with a systemic treatment and 137 with a biologic; 595 patients were treated only with phototherapy.
Conclusions: Regular use of NB-UVB as first-line treatment for moderate and severe psoriasis and adherence to the EMA eligibility criteria for biologics led to a relatively restricted use of biologics.
(© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.)