Possible harms caused by long-term use of Apremilast tablets

Apremilast is an oral small molecule PDE4 inhibitor, mainly used for the long-term treatment of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Since this drug emphasizes the regulation of immune-inflammatory pathways, many patients will worry about the possible harms of long-term use after obtaining therapeutic effects. In fact, judging from long-term overseas application experience, apremilast is a non-immunosuppressive targeted therapy drug. It does not significantly weaken the body's defenses like traditional immunosuppressants, so it is generally well tolerated during long-term medication. However, any long-term use requires attention to the potential risk of side effects.

First of all, the most common long-term trouble with apremilast is gastrointestinal reactions, such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Some patients have obvious symptoms in the first few weeks of treatment. Most people will gradually tolerate it as time goes by, but a small number of patients may have persistent discomfort that affects compliance. Secondly, weight loss is one of the long-term side effects that has been repeatedly reported. Some people will experience significant weight loss. If the basic body constitution is thin, monitoring and dietary adjustments are required during the treatment process. Furthermore, apremilast may have a certain impact on the emotional state, and some studies suggest that it is related to depressive symptoms. Therefore, during long-term use, the patient's mental state needs to be regularly assessed to avoid potential psychological burden.

In addition, long-term use may have subtle effects on the body's immune regulation. Although it does not significantly increase the risk of serious infections, the incidence of mild upper respiratory tract infections and headaches is relatively high in clinical practice. It is worth noting that apremilast does not require frequent monitoring of liver and kidney function like biological agents, but doctors will still recommend patients to follow up regularly to ensure the safety of medication.

Reference materials:https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB05676