Long-Term Adalimumab Improves Work, Life Quality in Psoriasis

Following patients with psoriasis for up to 5 years after initiating adalimumab, researchers found meaningful improvements across work ability, everyday activity levels, and health-related quality of life, according to one study.¹ These findings highlight the broad, long-term benefits of adalimumab beyond clinical symptom control.

This single-arm, multicenter, noninterventional, German-based cohort study is published in the Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft.

“Our study demonstrated in a large real-world population that long-term treatment of up to 5 years with adalimumab in adult patients with psoriasis led to a sustained improvement in the practice of professional and, in particular, nonprofessional activities,” wrote the researchers of the study.

Psoriasis profoundly affects quality of life, extending beyond physical symptoms to cause psychological distress, social stigma, and daily functional limitations.² Patients often experience depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal, which can occur regardless of disease severity and negatively impact work, relationships, and adherence to treatment. Studies show that up to 1 in 5 individuals with psoriasis experience mental health challenges, highlighting the need for holistic, patient-centered care that addresses both the physical and psychosocial burden of the disease.

This study collected routine care data from adult patients in Germany with psoriasis who initiated adalimumab treatment.¹ Participants were followed for up to 5 years, allowing researchers to capture long-term, real-world outcomes beyond controlled trial settings. Data were documented at baseline and during regular follow-up visits, including measures of work ability, restrictions in non-professional activities, disease severity, and health-related quality of life. This design enabled an assessment of how adalimumab influenced both clinical and everyday functional outcomes over time.

The study analyzed baseline and follow-up data from 4793 patients, most of whom were male with an average age of 47.5 years. At baseline, patients reported far more days with limitations in nonprofessional activities than in work-related tasks. Over the course of adalimumab treatment, both psoriasis-related days unfit for work and days with restrictions in nonprofessional activities declined significantly. Correlation analyses showed that psoriatic arthritis, higher disease severity (Psoriasis Area Severity Index [PASI] > 10), and greater quality of life impairment (Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI] > 10) were strongly linked to increased activity restrictions.

Although health-related quality of life improved throughout the observation period, it remained lower among patients who continued to experience limitations in nonprofessional activities.

However, the researchers acknowledged several limitations. First, it was an observational, single-arm design without a control group, which limited the ability to rule out confounding factors. Second, real-world data can vary due to routine practice conditions, and not all parameters were consistently available, especially as patient numbers declined over time. Lastly, some outcomes, including sick leave days and daily activity impairments, relied on patient recall, which may have introduced bias.

Despite these limitations, the researchers believe the study suggests adalimumab leads to meaningful improvements in patients with psoriasis.

“In conclusion, restraint from nonprofessional activities affects well-being and appears to be an underestimated problem in patients with psoriasis, enhancing the burden of disease,” wrote the researchers. “Adalimumab treatment leads to a sustained and tangible improvement in daily nonprofessional activities of patients with psoriasis and their HRQOL [health-related quality of life]. It was shown for the first time that DLQI is highly associated with restraint from nonprofessional activities in a negative manner. This finding emphasizes the need for early intervention with efficacious therapies and holistic consideration of the social aspects in order to improve patients’ QOL [quality of life].”

References

1. Kokolakis G, Philipp S, Mosch T, Fritz B, Sabat R. Impact of adalimumab treatment on impairment of non-professional activities in psoriasis patients. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. Published online November 28, 2025. doi:10.1111/ddg.15949

2. Steinzor P. Clinical severity may not correlate with psychological burden of psoriasis, study finds. AJMC®. May 7, 2025. Accessed December 1, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/clinical-severity-may-not-correlate-with-psychological-burden-of-psoriasis-study-finds