Plaque psoriasis frequently involves high-impact anatomical sites such as the scalp, nails, and palmoplantar regions, which are associated with significant functional impairment and reduced quality of life. Evidence on the long-term effectiveness of biologic therapies in these locations in real-world settings remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the real-world effectiveness and safety outcomes of risankizumab in achieving complete clearance of psoriasis affecting high-impact sites over a 2-year period.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study including adult patients with plaque psoriasis who initiated risankizumab between January 2020 and December 2023 across six dermatology centers. Effectiveness was assessed as the proportion of patients achieving complete clearance (Physician Global Assessment score of 0) in scalp, nail, and palmoplantar psoriasis.
Results
Among 459 patients treated with risankizumab, 232 (50.5%) had involvement of at least one high-impact site at baseline. Complete clearance at 2 years was achieved in 72.5% of patients with scalp involvement, 64.7% of those with nail psoriasis, and 52.2% of those with palmoplantar disease. Adverse events were infrequent and not treatment-limiting.
Conclusions
These findings support the effectiveness of risankizumab in high-impact psoriasis sites in real-world clinical practice.