Dermatology News reports on the study of pregnancy and drug treatment with psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) according to HSS rheumatologist Lisa R. Sammaritano, MD, and others.

Dr. Sammaritano recommends some of her patients to contact the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), as it is now listed in drug labeling as the “pregnancy registry” contact for many of the medications. OTIS has enrolled women with psoriasis and/or PsA in studies of nine medications, most of them biologics (both TNF-alpha blockers and newer anti-interleukin agents). “Their [OTIS] pregnancy registry studies have added important information to the field over the years,” said Dr. Sammaritano, however she does not recommend registry participation for patients who stop biologics at the diagnosis of pregnancy. As “the start of IgG antibody transfer during pregnancy is about 16 weeks,” Dr. Sammaritano voiced her concern of including these patients might lead to falsely reassuring findings. “We are most interested in [knowing the outcomes of] patients who must continue the drugs through pregnancy,” she explained.

Read the full article at MDedge.com/dermatology.