Effect of Roflumilast Cream (ARQ-151) on Itch and Itch-Related Sleep Loss in Adults with Chronic Plaque Psoriasis: Patient-Reported Itch Outcomes of a Phase 2b Trial
Recommended Citation
Stein Gold L, Alonso-Llamazares J, Draelos ZD, Gooderham MJ, Kempers SE, Kircik LH, Lebwohl MG, Papp KA, Pariser DM, Toth DP, Yosipovitch G, Higham RC, Feng A, and Berk DR. Effect of Roflumilast Cream (ARQ-151) on Itch and Itch-Related Sleep Loss in Adults with Chronic Plaque Psoriasis: Patient-Reported Itch Outcomes of a Phase 2b Trial. Am J Clin Dermatol 2022.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-12-2022
Publication Title
American journal of clinical dermatology
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Itch is the most bothersome symptom reported by patients with psoriasis. Safe and effective treatments for psoriasis that also address itch are needed.
OBJECTIVES: To report effects of roflumilast cream on itch-related outcomes from a Phase 2b trial.
METHODS: Adults with chronic plaque psoriasis were randomized to roflumilast 0.3%, roflumilast 0.15%, or vehicle once-daily for 12 weeks. Psoriasis severity was assessed via the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA; a 5-point scale assessing plaque thickening, scaling, and erythema ranging from 0 [clear] to 4 [severe]) and ≥ 2 on a modified Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI-HD, which combines severity of lesions and area affected, ranging from 0 [no disease] to 72 [maximal disease], with the actual percentage of the anatomical area involved in those patients with < 10% of anatomical area involved [e.g., 0.1 for 1% to 0.9 for 9%]). Itch was evaluated via Worst Itch Numeric Rating Scale (WI-NRS), Psoriasis Symptom Diary (PSD) Items 1 (severity of itch) and 2 (bother of itch), and itch-related sleep loss NRS scores. Post hoc correlation analyses between WI-NRS and PASI, WI-NRS and itch-related sleep loss, and WI-NRS and DLQI were also performed.
RESULTS: Roflumilast-treated patients had significantly greater improvements than vehicle-treated patients in WI-NRS and PSD Items 1 and 2 beginning at Week 2 and in itch-related sleep loss Weeks 6 through 12. Among patients with baseline WI-NRS ≥ 6, significantly more patients achieved ≥ 4-point improvement with roflumilast than with vehicle as early as Week 2. Itch severity had low correlation with PASI while WI-NRS and IGA were not always aligned.
LIMITATIONS: The first assessment was at 2 weeks, limiting the ability to assess early onset of itch response.
CONCLUSION: Roflumilast cream improved itch and itch-related sleep loss associated with chronic plaque psoriasis.
GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT03638258.
PubMed ID
36370336
ePublication
ePub ahead of print
