Real-world US healthcare costs of psoriasis for biologic-naive patients initiating apremilast or biologics

This research article evaluates the persistence, adherence and healthcare costs among biologic-naive patients receiving apremilast or biologics for the treatment of psoriasis. Psoriasis is a common systemic inflammatory disorder that affects more than 7 million adults in the USA. Psoriasis has a substantial effect on quality of life and is frequently associated with comorbidities, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and fatty liver. In 2015, the estimated total annual direct cost to treat psoriasis in the USA was US$12.2 billion. First-line treatments for mild psoriasis include over-the-counter or prescription topical corticosteroids, tazarotene and vitamin D analogs. For patients with...