Deucravacitinib Shows Strong Scalp Psoriasis Outcomes
DEUCRAVACITINIB showed strong short-term psoriasis responses and excellent scalp clearance in real-world clinical practice.
Deucravacitinib demonstrated promising short-term effectiveness and safety in adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in a multicentre real-world study, with particularly strong outcomes in patients with scalp involvement. Investigators retrospectively evaluated 111 adults treated with deucravacitinib for at least 16 weeks across 19 Italian dermatology units, with a specific focus on outcomes in this difficult-to-treat area.
Treatment response was assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and the scalp-specific Physician’s Global Assessment (ss-PGA). At Week 16, PASI 75, PASI 90, and PASI 100 were achieved by 49.6%, 29.7%, and 18.9% of patients, respectively. These response rates improved further by Week 32, reaching 84.9%, 60.6%, and 45.5%, suggesting that deucravacitinib may provide increasing benefit over time in routine practice.
Deucravacitinib in Psoriasis with Scalp Involvement
The scalp-specific findings were particularly notable. Among the 49 patients with baseline scalp involvement, 89.8% achieved ss-PGA 0/1 at Week 16, and 100% reached this endpoint by Week 32. These results suggest rapid and sustained scalp clearance during short-term follow-up.
Importantly, baseline scalp involvement did not appear to negatively affect overall skin response. This may be clinically relevant because scalp psoriasis can present a substantial treatment burden and may be more difficult to manage in everyday practice.
Safety Findings Support Real-World Use
Deucravacitinib also showed a favorable short-term safety profile in this cohort. Adverse events were reported in 8.1% of patients, and all were described as mild. Treatment was discontinued in 2.7% of patients, and no severe adverse events were observed.
Overall, these findings suggest that deucravacitinib may offer therapeutic value in moderate-to-severe psoriasis in real-world settings, including in patients with scalp disease. Although the study was retrospective and short term, the results add useful clinical evidence for physicians considering treatment strategies for difficult-to-treat psoriasis presentations.
Reference
Ibba L et al. Short-Term Effectiveness and Safety of Deucravacitinib in Psoriasis: A Multicenter Real-World Study with Scalp-Specific Outcomes-IL PSO (Italian Landscape Psoriasis). Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2026;DOI:10.1007/s13555-026-01711-3.
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