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Combination methotrexate, pioglitazone therapy offers no added quality-of-life benefits

In patients with chronic plaque-type psoriasis, pioglitazone therapy taken with methotrexate caused greater reductions in psoriasis area and severity index scores than methotrexate alone but did not significantly improve quality of life, according to study findings.

For the controlled, assessor-blinded, parallel-group study, patients with plaque-type psoriasis were randomly assigned to treatment with methotrexate only (group A) or methotrexate plus 30 mg/daily of oral pioglitazone (group B). Methotrexate (MTX) dosage commenced at 7.5 mg weekly and was adjusted, if necessary, for body mass index.

At week 16, the difference in reduction of mean psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) scores between the groups was statistically significant, according to the researchers, with group B at a 70.3% reduction and group A at a 60.2% reduction.

Fourteen patients in group B achieved PASI 75 by week 16 compared with only two in group A, which was also considered statistically significant.

At week 16, complete clearance of the disease (PASI 100) was achieved by four patients in group B compared with one patient from group A.

Differences between the groups in terms of dermatology life quality index were not significant, however, according to the researchers. In group B, a 63.6% decrease was seen at week 16, and a 56.9% decrease was seen for group A.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.