Psoriasis 101 “It happens when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin,” says Andrew Robertson, PhD, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the National Psoriasis Foundation. “To develop the condition (characterized by raised, red, scaly patches that itch, crack and bleed), you need the genetic component, plus external triggers, like stress, smoking, and certain medications.” New drugs First, the challenge with treating psoriasis is doing so while blocking as little of the immune system as possible. “Early treatments affected the immune system so much that they could cause cancer and kidney damage,” says Mark Lebwohl, MD, dermatologist, and Chief of the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board. “Then we started targeting smaller parts of the immune system for fewer side effects.” Two new studies presented last week at EULAR 2013, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism examine promising treatments: One drug, brodalumab, blocks a specific receptor to minimize the signs of psoriasis almost completely, “while only blocking a tiny part of the immune system,” says Dr. Lebwohl. Another drug, apremilast, works by blocking multiple pathways, but to a lesser degree than drugs currently on the market. “They’re as effective as any treatments we’ve had, but they should have fewer side effects,” Dr. Lebwohl explains. Researchers hope new drugs will be available by 2014. Fix it with weight loss? Can’t wait that long? A recent study published in JAMA Dermatology found that overweight people with psoriasis who cut calories and dropped pounds improved their symptoms. “Weight loss may reduce obesity-induced inflammation, which may in turn improve psoriasis,” says Robertson. Ready to drop pounds? Here’s How To Lose Weight Without Dieting.
