Before Secukinumab Treatment, Prescreening for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Advised

Given links between secukinumab use and the onset of inflammatory bowel disease, prescreening for a history of inflammatory bowel disease in patients or family members is prudent, suggests a study published online ahead of print in Dermatologic Therapy.

“The biologic secukinumab is a human monoclonal antibody against interleukin-17A used for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; cases of inflammatory bowel disease have been observed in clinical trials to be associated with this medication,” wrote researchers from Wake Forest School of Medicine.

The study was based on review articles and original research papers on treatment with secukinumab and the development of inflammatory disease in patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.

Both case reports and clinical trials reported associations between secukinumab use and inflammatory disease, researchers wrote. Retrospective studies, on the other hand, yielded mixed results. Most found no statistical significance between secukinumab and inflammatory bowel disease but did include patients with a history, or family history, of inflammatory bowel disease who experienced new inflammatory bowel disease onset or flare-ups.

“Given the utilization of secukinumab as a therapy for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, appropriate screening and risk stratification could help limit morbidity and mortality that can be associated with secukinumab-induced inflammatory bowel disease,” researchers advised.

Reference:
Ali AK, Torosian A, Porter C, Bloomfeld RS, Feldman SR. New onset inflammatory bowel disease in patient treated with secukinumab: case report and review of literature [published online ahead of print October 5, 2021]. Dermatol Ther. 2021 Oct 5. doi:10.1111/dth.15151