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Effectiveness of topical calcineurin inhibitors as monotherapy or in combination with hydroxychloroquine in cutaneous lupus erythematosus
Author(s) -
Avgerinou G.,
Papafragkaki D.K.,
Nasiopoulou A.,
Arapaki A.,
Katsambas A.,
Stavropoulos P.G.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2011.04161.x
Subject(s) - medicine , calcineurin , desquamation , hydroxychloroquine , erythema , dermatology , edema , tacrolimus , subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus , combination therapy , pharmacology , connective tissue disease , autoimmune disease , disease , transplantation , covid-19 , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Background  Calcineurin inhibitors show potent anti‐inflammatory effects and favorable safety profile when used in the treatment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). Objective  The present study investigates the change in clinical parameters of erythema, desquamation and edema, when calcineurin inhibitors are used as monotherapy or in combination with hydroxychloroquine in CLE for a period of 60 days. Methods  18 patients were treated with topical tacrolimus and 20 patients with topical pimecrolimus, as monotherapy or in combination with hydroxychloroquine. Clinical parameters of erythema, desquamation and edema were assessed on a scale from 0 to 3 for erythema and edema and 0 to 2 for desquamation. Results  Statistically significant improvement in erythema, desquamation and edema was observed in patients on monotherapy with calcineurin inhibitor and combination treatment with hydroxychloroquine, regardless of disease type. Combination treatment resulted in improvement of edema in 100% of patients, while monotherapy did so in 75% of patients. Conclusions  Topical calcineurin inhibitors enhance the therapeutic effect of systemic agents in cutaneous lupus erythematosus, and result in improvement of the clinical parameters studied.

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