This biologic therapy is currently approved in Canada and U.S. for the treatment of adults with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis. Adalimumab hinds and blocks tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a chemical that is made by cells in the immune system and sends faulty signals to the skin and joints. Patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis produce too much TNF-alpha, which results in the inflammation causing red, scaly, skin lesions and swollen, tender joints.
Adalimumab helps reduce the inflammation by blocking and reducing the amount of TNF-alpha, and interrupting the inflammatory cycle that is seen in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Adalimumab works quite quickly and many patients will notice an improvement within the first month; however, for others it may take up to three or four months to the best improvement.
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| Adalimumab For Psoriasis |
How Is Adalimumab Given?
Adalimumab is a self-administered injection under the surface of the skin. Adalimumab is given as an 80 milligram injection on day one, followed by 40 milligrams every other week, beginning on day eight in patients with psoriasis. The recommended dose for patients with psoriatic arthritis is 40 milligrams every other week.
Your doctor or nurse will give you detailed instructions for preparing and giving an injection. There is also an information package provided with your medication that will have step-by-step instructions, if you have any questions, you can ask your doctor or nurse.
What Results Can You Expect from Adalimumab?
Clinical studies have established that adalimumab showed a rapid and excellent improvement in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Adalimumab was proven to be highly effective in psoriasis studies to date, with 71 percent of patients having an excellent response (75 percent improvement). As seen with other biologic agents, continued treatment can provide additional improvement. Adalimumab has also been used in combination with other types of treatment, such as methotrexate, NSAIDs, or SAARDs in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.
What should you tell your doctor before starting adalimumab?
You should tell your doctor if you:
- are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant
- are breast-feeding
- have problems with your immune system (i.e., HIV/AIDS)
- have a history of heart failure
- have a history of cancer
- have tuberculosis, have had it, or have recently been exposed to it; you will need to have a tuberculosis skin test done prior to starting adalimumab therapy
- have had recent severe infection, or are prone to infections or recurring infections
- are taking any other medications or herbal supplements
- have an allergy to adalimumab or any of its components have problems or diseases with the nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis; if you experience any numbness, tingling, or visual changes before, during or after adalimumab treatment, you should tell your doctor; a small number of patients who have received adalimumab have experienced a worsening of their multiple sclerosis and other rare diseases of the nervous system
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| Adalimumab For Psoriasis |
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