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Clinical efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulins for the treatment of dermatomyositis skin lesions without muscle disease
Author(s) -
Bounfour T.,
Bouaziz J.D.,
Bézier M.,
Cordoliani F.,
Saussine A.,
Petit A.,
Juillard C.,
Bagot M.,
Rybojad M.
Publication year - 2014
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/jdv.12223
Subject(s) - medicine , dermatomyositis , intravenous immunoglobulins , headaches , dermatology , surgery , antibody , disease , gastroenterology , immunology
Background Treating dermatomyositis ( DM ) with isolated skin involvement is difficult and inconsistently performed. Intravenous immunoglobulins ( IVI g) are recommended for corticoresistant or corticodependant DM , but only a few cases of IVI g use in DM with isolated skin involvement have been reported. Design We performed a retrospective monocentric study of 27 patients who were treated with IVI g for severe DM skin lesions (no or minor muscle involvement) after failure of photoprotection and at least one line of treatment. Results Nineteen patients (70%) exhibited a major response, four patients exhibited a partial response and four patients exhibited no response, including two patients with grade 3 side effects (headaches). The mean number of IVI g courses was 4.8 (range 1–15). Ten patients (53%) relapsed, with a median time of 6.2 months after the last IVI g course. Six of these patients were successfully treated with a new IVI g course. Muscle disease developed in six patients. Conclusion IVI g may be an effective and safe treatment for DM with isolated skin involvement. Relapse occurred frequently, but treatment with a new course of IVI g was successful. Controlled studies are required to confirm these results.