Injectable drugs Aptiva and Enbrel have been shown to be very affective at treating psoriasis.

And according to a new study released today, Enbrel is also been shown to treat depression in psoriasis along with the skin disorder.

Last summer we introduced you to psoriasis patient Betty Leffingwell.
who put her battle with psoriasis in these terms. "I can live with being legally blind, but I cannot live with psoriasis. That is one thing I can't live with it is really horrible."

Betty has found relief with the drug Enbrel. She receives routine injections which she says are worth it. The new study which appears in this week's New England Journal of Medicine says the drug may be helping with patient depression as well. Dermatologist Dr. Cindy Lamerson has conducted clinical trails on Enbrel and says considering what psoriasis patients go through the evidence makes sense.

" The majority of people it really affects the quality of life and how they perceive themselves, and it is other people how others perceive them."

Dr. Lamerson says she's looking for local psoriasis patients to participate in yet another clinical trail involving injectable medications.

Locals might also be interested in an additional clinical trail involving AK. Called Actinic Keratosis, they are pre-cancerous and appear on people 40-years and older who have spent years in the sun.

Local resident Joe Franklin says the lesions came with nearly 74-years of outdoor activity. "You are playing golf and stuff like this, is happens I was out in the sun from the time I was little."

Frankllin has already participated in clinical trails involving creams that help boost the immune system. In January he says he'll do it again as two different creams are compared for their effectiveness. Dr. Lamerson is looking about 39-more local patients to join him.

If you have been diagnosed with psoriasis or actinic keratosis and are interested in the local clinical trials call 827-8100 extension 15.