Body-weight-independent dosing of cyclosporine micro-emulsion and three times weekly maintenance regimen in severe psoriasis. A randomised study

Background: Body-weight-dependent (BWD) treatment of psoriasis with cyclosporine A (CsA is well established. It has recently been reported that this is not necessary for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Objectives: (1) To investigate the efficacy and safety of a CsA micro-emulsion administered in a new body-weight-independent (BWI) protocol and to compare it to a BWD dosage regimen in the treatment of severe psoriasis. (2) To investigate the duration of disease remission after intermittent treatment of psoriasis with CsA. Patients and Methods: 122 adult patients with severe plaque-type psoriasis (PASI ≥ 12) were included in this study which consisted of two treatment periods: period I was a randomised parallel-group comparison of daily CsA doses of 100-300 mg (BWI) or 1.25-5.0 mg/kg (BWD) for 12 weeks; period II was a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled extension treatment of patients, who had responded (>75% PASI recovery) to the treatment in period I and continued the treatment on their last effective dose or placebo 3 times weekly for a further 12 weeks. Results: In period I, the increase in creatinine in the BWI group (2.7 μmol/l) was proven to be non-inferior to that of the BWD group (3.5 μmol/l) at a non-inferiority limit of 5 μmol/l (p < 0.05). The PASI decreased with BWI dosing from 22.0 to 3.0 and with the BWD scheme from 19.5 to 2.5 (p = 0.98). In period II, the relapse rates were 40.5% (17/42) with intermittent CsA and 56.9% (29/51) with placebo (p = 0.15). Conclusions: BWI dosing is as effective and safe as conventional BWD dosing for the short-term treatment of severe psoriasis. There was a tendency toward a prolongation of remission with intermittent CsA treatment.