A Case Report of Adalimumab Successfully Treated a Severe Plaque Psoriasis Patient with Psoriatic End-Stage Renal Disease

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that manifests itself not only on the skin but also on various tissues and organs of the body. While some psoriasis co-morbidities have been investigated, little is known about its association with impairment of renal function. In 2005, the concept of psoriatic nephropathy was first introduced by Indian nephrologists, suggesting a potential relationship between psoriasis and kidney disease. Adalimumab, a fully human recombinant immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. Here, we present a case of severe plaque psoriasis accompanied with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treated with adalimumab. Following the case presentation is a discussion of the relationship between psoriasis and chronic kidney disease (CKD) / ESRD and the possible role of biologics in psoriasis-related kidney damage. The aim of this report is to increase dermatologists’ awareness of psoriatic nephropathy as a complication of psoriasis and to raise awareness of the use of biologics in psoriasis.