Psoriasis vulgaris flare during efalizumab therapy does not preclude future use: a case series

BACKGROUND: Severe psoriasis vulgaris can be extremely difficult to treat in some patients, even with the newer biological therapies available today. CASE PRESENTATIONS: We present two patients with severe chronic plaque psoriasis who received numerous systemic anti-psoriatic therapies with varied results. Both responded well to initial treatment with efalizumab (anti-CD11a), but then experienced a flare of their disease after missing a dose. However, after disease stablization, both patients responded well to re-introduction of efalizumab, one patient requiring concurrent treatment with infliximab (anti-TNF-α). CONCLUSION: These cases are presented to characterize this "flare" reaction, and to inform health care providers that efalizumab can still be administered after disease flare, and again may be a successful therapy.