INTRODUCTION
Psoriasis (PsO) is a common, chronic, autoimmunemediated inflammatory disorder associated with significant patient burden, impacting both costs (health care costs, and productivity losses)1 and quality of life.2 Common types of psoriasis include psoriasis vulgaris (also referred to as plaque psoriasis), intertriginous psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, and erythrodermic psoriasis. Psoriasis vulgaris is the most common of these, affecting 58%- 97% of all patients.3
As there is no cure for PsO, the goal of available treatments is to reduce signs and symptoms.4 There is a variety of effective therapies available to patients, including novel biologic therapies (biologics) which have significantly improved patient outcomes. The available treatment options vary in their mode of action, administration frequency and delivery, effectiveness, and safety profile, all of which consequently impact treatment persistence. When conventional systemic treatments are insufficient or otherwise inappropriate for the treatment of PsO, biologics may be used.
Drug persistence (drug survival) is defined as the duration of time from initiation to discontinuation of a drug,5 occurring when patients switch or terminate treatment. It is a meaningful measure that accounts for long-term effectiveness, safety, and general treatment satisfaction in clinical practice.6
Administrative databases (“databasesâ€) and clinical registries (“registriesâ€) are common data sources for evaluating drug persistence. The data contained in databases are typically collected for reasons other than health research and are often termed secondary data. In contrast, registry data are typically collected primarily to conduct health research.
Information on drug persistence collected from registries can be used to identify when a patient had been prescribed a specific medication by the treating physician, although adherence to the medication may not be discernible. Registries typically include information on treatment initiation and treatment end dates, entered by the physician. Therefore, persistence estimates from registries are driven by the physician’s perspective excluding information on patients’ behavior. In contrast, databases are
As there is no cure for PsO, the goal of available treatments is to reduce signs and symptoms.4 There is a variety of effective therapies available to patients, including novel biologic therapies (biologics) which have significantly improved patient outcomes. The available treatment options vary in their mode of action, administration frequency and delivery, effectiveness, and safety profile, all of which consequently impact treatment persistence. When conventional systemic treatments are insufficient or otherwise inappropriate for the treatment of PsO, biologics may be used.
Drug persistence (drug survival) is defined as the duration of time from initiation to discontinuation of a drug,5 occurring when patients switch or terminate treatment. It is a meaningful measure that accounts for long-term effectiveness, safety, and general treatment satisfaction in clinical practice.6
Administrative databases (“databasesâ€) and clinical registries (“registriesâ€) are common data sources for evaluating drug persistence. The data contained in databases are typically collected for reasons other than health research and are often termed secondary data. In contrast, registry data are typically collected primarily to conduct health research.
Information on drug persistence collected from registries can be used to identify when a patient had been prescribed a specific medication by the treating physician, although adherence to the medication may not be discernible. Registries typically include information on treatment initiation and treatment end dates, entered by the physician. Therefore, persistence estimates from registries are driven by the physician’s perspective excluding information on patients’ behavior. In contrast, databases are
