cepia

<p><b>BACKGROUND: </b>In the late 2000s, the introduction of biologics transformed the prognosis for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. We hypothesized that treatment with biologics may associate with a reduction in the hospitalization rate for psoriasis flares.</p><p><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>To analyse changes over time in the hospitalization rate for psoriasis flares.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>We included inpatient stays in any of nine French hospitals between 2005 and 2015 for a psoriasis flare, as documented in the national inpatient database. In two centres, we also analysed data from the individual patients' electronic medical records.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>A total of 3572 stays were included. The introduction of biologics was not associated with a decrease in the number of hospitalizations for a psoriasis flare; on the contrary, we observed a non-significant increase in the number of hospitalizations (13 hospitalizations for psoriasis flares per quarter per 10 000 beds). In the two-centre study, the introduction of biologics was associated with a significant increase in the hospitalization of patients receiving topical treatments only (520 hospitalizations per year per 10 000 beds) and those with a first psoriasis flare.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>The number of hospitalizations for a psoriasis flare tended to increase between 2005 and 2015. The availability of additional treatment options might have increased patient demand and/or broadened the indications in clinical practice.</p>