Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease that significantly impacts patients' quality of life due to its physical, psychological, and systemic burden. Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4) plays a pivotal role in the inflammatory cascade of the disease through the modulation of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels. This systematic review evaluates current evidence on the clinical efficacy and safety of novel PDE-4 inhibitors in the treatment of psoriasis.
Methods
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed/Medline, Ovid Embase, and Web of Science databases through January 18th, 2025, to identify clinical studies evaluating PDE-4 inhibitors in patients with psoriasis. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) quality assessment tool and the Murad et al.quality assessment tool.
Results
Out of 1,942 related studies, twelve studies with 642 patients met our inclusion criteria. Among oral PDE-4 inhibitors, oral roflumilast demonstrated consistent improvements in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), as well as patient-reported outcomes, in cases with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common adverse events. Similarly, orismilast and ME3183 also demonstrated significant PASI reductions and favorable tolerability, while topical agents like crisaborole and PF-07038124 showed a rapid localized response in patients suffering from mild to moderate psoriasis, with minimal adverse effects in sensitive areas, including the face and intertriginous regions.
Conclusion
PDE-4 inhibitors, both oral and topical, demonstrate promising efficacy and acceptable safety profiles in the treatment of psoriasis. To confirm their long-term benefits and improve clinical use, larger-scale studies with longer follow-up and a wider range of patients are required.
