Unmet Needs and Treatment Preference of Systemic Treatments for Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis from the Perspectives of Patients and Dermatologists in China

Yehong Kuang; Yuzhen Li; Chengzhi Lv; Min Li; Zhenying Zhang; Yi Chen; Wendong Chen; Xingzhi Wang; Lina Ba; Yichen Zhong; Steven Feldman

doi:10.1007/s13555-024-01159-3

Unmet Needs and Treatment Preference of Systemic Treatments for Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis from the Perspectives of Patients and Dermatologists in China

Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2024 May;14(5):1245-1257. doi: 10.1007/s13555-024-01159-3. Epub 2024 May 11.

Authors

Yehong Kuang¹, Yuzhen Li², Chengzhi Lv³, Min Li⁴, Zhenying Zhang⁵, Yi Chen⁶, Wendong Chen⁶, Xingzhi Wang⁷, Lina Ba⁷, Yichen Zhong⁸, Steven Feldman⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China. 404342@csu.edu.cn.
² The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
³ Dalian Dermatological Diseases Hospital, Dalian, China.
⁴ Dushu Lake Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou, China.
⁵ The 8, Affiliated Hospital of Zhongshan University, Shenzhen, China.
⁶ Changsha Normin Health Technology Ltd, Changsha, China.
⁷ Bristol-Myers Squibb, Shanghai, China.
⁸ Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton Pike, Lawrence Township, NJ, USA.
⁹ Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: The treatment options for moderate to severe psoriasis (msPsO) in China have been greatly increased with the approvals of biologics. However, the unmet needs and treatment preferences of systemic treatments for msPsO in China remain unclarified.

Methods: Fifty dermatologists and 300 patients with msPsO (41% with severe psoriasis) were surveyed for effectiveness, safety, treatment convenience, and treatment preferences (using a choice-based conjoint questionnaire). Descriptive statistics and conjoint simulation analyses were employed to summarize survey information and assess treatment preferences.

Results: Both patients and dermatologists reported shorter treatment duration for oral drugs (2.7-6.2 months) than that for biologics (9.5-17.0 months). The most frequently reported treatment discontinuation reasons by the surveyed patients and dermatologists were unsatisfactory effectiveness (average 84.5%) for oral drugs and loss of efficacy over time (average 68.5%) for biologics. Commonly reported treatment inconveniences included regular lab tests for traditional oral drugs (average 71.5%) and administration assistance for biologics (average 58.0%). Injection site reactions (average 51.5%) and needle fear (average 35.5%) were frequently reported for biologics among the surveyed patients and dermatologists. Once-daily oral treatment was preferred over biweekly subcutaneous injection treatment when the two had comparable attributes (average in patients 87.1% vs. 12.9%; average in dermatologists 93.4% vs. 6.6%).

Conclusions: Unmet needs of systemic treatments remain for msPsO in China. Once-daily oral treatment is preferred over biweekly subcutaneous injections to treat msPsO when other treatment attributes are comparable.

Keywords: Choice-based conjoint analysis; Medical needs; Moderate-to-severe psoriasis; Treatment administration route; Treatment preference.