Prevalence and Trends in Systemic Treatment for Pediatric Psoriasis in the USA between 2015 and 2021
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Biologics may have altered the standard of care for pediatric psoriasis, the prevalence of which has not been studied since 2015. The objective of this study was to provide an update of the prevalence of and treatment landscape for pediatric psoriasis in the USA, highlighting the current burden of the condition and the need for improved disease awareness. In this retrospective cohort study, US claims data (July 2015 to October 2021) from the MarketScan® database were used to estimate the prevalence of overall plaque psoriasis and moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in pediatric patients (aged 6–17 years) from 2016 to 2020. Systemic/phototherapy treatment use (per 100 patient-years [PY]) in moderate to severe pediatric patients was reported from 2017 to 2021. A total of 8935 pediatric patients with psoriasis were included, of whom 1448 had moderate to severe psoriasis. In 2020, the estimated overall pediatric psoriasis prevalence based on coding was 117.4/100,000, and it was 18.4/100,000 for moderate to severe psoriasis. Between 2017 and 2021, the use of non-biologic systemic treatments (2017: 36.3/100 PY; 2021: 14.1/100 PY) and phototherapy treatments (2017: 41.3/100 PY; 2021: 4.3/100 PY) decreased, while the use of biologics increased (2017: 41.5/100 PY; 2021: 56.4/100 PY). Interleukin inhibitor use increased (2017: 5.0/100 PY; 2021: 37.6/100 PY), while tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor use decreased (2017: 37.5/100 PY; 2021: 20.2/100 PY). Ustekinumab use increased the most (2017: 4.8/100 PY; 2021: 30.4/100 PY), followed by ixekizumab (2017: 0.2/100 PY; 2021: 7.2/100 PY). In 2020, psoriasis remained relatively uncommon among US children and adolescents, with 15.9% having moderate to severe psoriasis. Meanwhile, treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis shifted from older treatments, particularly non-biologic systemics and TNF inhibitors, toward newer, more efficacious interleukin inhibitors. Psoriasis is a long-lasting skin condition that causes thick, red, scaly patches, and inflammation throughout the body, not just the skin. While there is no cure, there are different treatments that help control symptoms and reduce flare-ups. In children, psoriasis is less common than in adults, but research into how common it is has not been carried out since 2015. We looked at health insurance claims data from 2015 to 2021 to study how common psoriasis is among children in the USA and how treatments have changed. We focused on children aged 6–17 years with psoriasis. Results showed that in 2020, over 11 in every 10,000 children in the USA had psoriasis, and about 2 in 10,000 had moderate to severe psoriasis. Between 2017 and 2021, the way in which psoriasis was treated in children shifted significantly. In this period, the use of non-biologic medications decreased by about three times, and light therapy (phototherapy) decreased by around ten times. Meanwhile, the use of biologic medications (which are made from living organisms such as proteins, cells, or tissues and target the specific changes that are responsible for how the disease develops) increased by one-third. The use of older biologics that target a protein called tumor necrosis factor almost halved, but the use of newer biologics that target proteins called interleukins increased by almost eight times. Overall, we concluded that psoriasis remains uncommon among children; treatment methods are moving toward newer biologic options, which may be more effective at treating psoriasis symptoms.
Source: Dermatology and Therapy
Language: English
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $7,400
Funder: UCB Pharma
OpenAlex ID: W4414545313