Patients with no psoriasis risk allele may still benefit from ustekinumab
But ethnicity is an important unknown factor in response rates, say researchers
Being positive for the psoriasis risk allele is associated with a better response to ustekinumab therapy in patients with plaque psoriasis — but those with negative findings also do well, a meta-analysis shows.
Dutch researchers reviewed eight studies involving more than 1000 patients. All of the studies investigated the link between having the psoriasis risk allele (HLA-C*06:02) and a 75% improvement in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI75) in response to ustekinumab therapy.
At six months, PASI75 evaluation by genotype showed response rates of about 90% among allele-positive patients and 65% for allele-negative patients.
At three months, the results were about 80% and 60%, respectively.
