Successful Treatment of Recalcitrant Palmoplantar Psoriasis With Etanercept

Palmoplantar psoriasis is a disabling condition characterized by recurrent crops of sterile pustules with associated erythema, fissuring, and scaling. Genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in its etiology. Topical treatments are frequently ineffective. Other treatment options include systemic retinoids, psoralen-UVA (PUVA), and a combination of both. We report a case of successful treatment of recalcitrant palmoplantar psoriasis with etanercept in a 59-year-old woman unresponsive to other treatment modalities.