Br J Dermatol

EADV 2025: Could GLP-1RAs be a game-changer for psoriasis patients?

September 25, 2025

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) may offer substantial survival and comorbidity benefits for patients with psoriasis and metabolic disease.

Presented at the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology (EADV) Congress in Paris, this large-scale retrospective cohort study analyzed data from >6,000 U.S. patients with psoriasis and comorbid diabetes or obesity. Researchers compared outcomes between 3,048 patients treated with GLP-1 RAs and 3,048 matched controls receiving other anti-diabetic or weight-loss medications. Demographics were similar between groups (≈60% female; mean age, ~56–57 years). Propensity score matching controlled for age, sex, and comorbidities over a 2-year follow-up.

GLP-1 RA use was associated with significantly reduced all-cause mortality (hazard rate [HR], 0.219; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.123–0.391; p<0.0001) and major adverse cardiac events (HR, 0.561; 95% CI, 0.442–0.714; p<0.0001). Psychiatric risks also declined, including alcohol misuse (HR, 0.346; p=0.009) and substance abuse (HR, 0.510; p=0.002). Adverse drug events weren't more frequent in the GLP-1 RA group, and risk reductions were more pronounced in psoriasis patients than in those with obesity or diabetes alone. Findings were consistent across all sensitivity analyses.

Source:

Olbrich H, et al. (2025, September 3). Br J Dermatol. GLP-1RA and reduced mortality, cardiovascular and psychiatric risks in psoriasis: a large-scale cohort study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40897378/