Background: Mixtures of fumaric acid esters (FAE) are used as an oral systemic treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis. Large clinical studies with dimethylfumarate (DMF) monotherapy are scarce.
Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness and long-term safety of high-dose DMF monotherapy in moderate to severe psoriasis. Methods: A prospective single-blinded follow-up study was performed in a cohort of patients treated with DMF. Patients were followed-up at fixed intervals. Assessment of consecutive photographs was performed by two observers. Primary outcome was a change in static physician global assessment (PGA) score. Safety outcome was defined as incidences of (serious) adverse events.
Results: A total of 176 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis were treated with DMF for a median duration of 28 months. The median daily maintenance dosage of 480 mg was reached after a median of 8 months. Psoriasis activity decreased significantly by 1.7 out of five points. A total of 152 patients reported one or more adverse events, such as gastrointestinal complaints and flushing.
Conclusions: High-dose DMF monotherapy is an effective and safe treatment option in moderate to severe psoriasis. It can be suggested that 50% of all patients may benefit from high-dose DMF monotherapy.

, , , ,
doi.org/10.3109/09546634.2015.1050980, hdl.handle.net/1765/83425
Journal of Dermatological Treatment
Department of Dermatology

Lijnen, R., Otters, E., Balak, D., & Thio, B. (2016). Long-term safety and effectiveness of high-dose dimethylfumarate in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 27(1), 31–36. doi:10.3109/09546634.2015.1050980