Andrea Nguyen, MS, PA-C presented the second product theater on the first day of the SDPA Annual Summer Conference. She discussed Cosentyx, the first and only fully human Il-17A antagonist approved for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis and moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Cosentyx is also indicated for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis.
Ms. Nguyen pointed out that the majority of psoriasis patients complain of itching followed by scaling and pain, and that joint inflammation may be observed along with skin lesions in psoriasis in patients with concomitant psoriatic arthritis.
Cosentyx is a subcutaneous injection with the most common adverse reactions being diarrhea, cold symptoms and upper respiratory infections. Prior to initiating treatment with Cosentyx, patients should be screened for TB and annually thereafter. It is recommended that prescribers proceed with caution in patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease. Additionally, it is not recommended that patients using Cosentyx have live vaccines.
One common presentation of psoriatic arthritis is dactylitis, or swelling of one joint, such as a toe or thumb. It is more commonly asymmetric in the psoriatic arthritis patient vs. a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Cosentyx has been found to decrease joint destruction. Finally, Cosentyx is the #1 prescribed biologic therapy for psoriatic arthritis patients starting or switching biologic agents.