TUESDAY, Feb. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Many patients with moderate to severe chronic psoriasis showed significant improvement after treatment with Humira (adalimumab), according to a study presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in Washington, D.C.

The REVEAL (Randomized Controlled EValuation of Adalimumab Every Other Week Dosing in Moderate to Severe Psoriasis TriAL) included 1,200 patients. After 16 weeks, 71 percent of the patients who took the drug showed a 75 percent improvement in skin clearance, compared to 6.5 percent of patients who received a placebo.

The study also found that patients who took the drug continuously were much less likely to experience a worsening of their psoriasis symptoms.

Upper respiratory tract infection, headache and nasopharyngitis were the most common side effects reported by patients in the study.

The REVEAL results will be submitted by drug maker Abbott in its applications to have Humira approved for treatment of psoriasis in the United States and Europe.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes raised, inflamed, scaly, red skin lesions that can crack and bleed. There is no cure for psoriasis, which affects about 125 million people worldwide. Of those, about 25 percent have moderate to severe psoriasis. The disease can occur at any age but typically appears between the ages of 15 and 35.

More information

The American Academy of Dermatology has more about psoriasis.