Tofacitinib improves pruritus and health-related quality of life up to 52 weeks: Results from 2 randomized phase III trials in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor that improves clinical measures of psoriasis.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess patient-reported outcomes in tofacitinib-treated patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis over 52 weeks.

METHODS: In 2 identical, phase III studies (Oral treatment for Psoriasis Trial Pivotal 1 [NCT01276639], n = 901, and Pivotal 2 [NCT01309737], n = 960), patients were randomized 2:2:1 to receive 5 or 10 mg of tofacitinib or placebo, twice daily. At week 16, placebo-treated patients were re-randomized to tofacitinib. Dermatology Life Quality Index score, Itch Severity Item score, Patient Global Assessment score, and patient satisfaction were assessed.

RESULTS: Baseline Dermatology Life Quality Index score indicated substantial health-related quality of life impairment. At week 16, a greater proportion of patients achieved Dermatology Life Quality Index score of 1 or less (no effect of psoriasis on health-related quality of life) with tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg twice daily versus placebo (Oral treatment for Psoriasis Trial Pivotal 1/2: 26.7%/28.6% and 40.2%/48.2% vs 4.6%/6.0%, respectively; P < .0001); improvements were maintained through week 52. Similar patterns were observed with Patient Global Assessment. Improvements in itch were particularly rapid, observed 1 day after treatment initiation for both tofacitinib doses versus placebo (P < .05). At week 16, more patients were satisfied with tofacitinib versus placebo (P < .0001).

LIMITATIONS: Clinical nonresponders discontinued at week 28.

CONCLUSIONS: Tofacitinib demonstrated improvement in health-related quality of life and patient-reported symptoms that persisted over 52 weeks.