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Hidradenitis suppurativa responding to treatment with infliximab
Author(s) -
Lasocki Anita,
Sinclair Rodney,
Foley Peter,
Saunders Helen
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
australasian journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.67
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1440-0960
pISSN - 0004-8380
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-0960.2010.00623.x
Subject(s) - hidradenitis suppurativa , medicine , infliximab , dermatology , medline , tumor necrosis factor alpha , disease , political science , law
A series of four cases of severe recalcitrant hidradenitis suppurativa treated with infliximab is presented. All patients had failed to respond to prior medical and surgical management. Baseline Quantiferon‐TB Gold and chest radiograph were carried out before commencement of treatment. No patients had associated Crohn's disease. All patients received induction infusions of infliximab 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2 and 6, followed by eight weekly maintenance infusions. The total number of infusions varied between 4 and 6. Skin photography with Sartorius scoring was used to evaluate response to treatment. All patients experienced marked improvement in their disease activity, with a mean 48% improvement in Sartorius score after one infusion (week 2, P < 0.01), and 70% improvement after three infusions (week 14, P < 0.01). Time to relapse following cessation of therapy ranged from 6 weeks to 4 months. Further studies examining the efficacy of infliximab and its effect on the course of the disease, particularly relating to long‐term management, are required.