Open AccessDupilumab Treatment in Atopic Dermatitis: Real-World Evidence from a Portuguese Tertiary Center
Author(s) -
Tomás Pessoa e Costa,
Bruno Duarte,
Margarida Brito Caldeira,
M. Paris,
Maria João Paiva-Lopes
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
revista da sociedade portuguesa de dermatologia e venereologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2182-2409
pISSN - 2182-2395
DOI - 10.29021/spdv.79.2.1318
Subject(s) - eczema area and severity index , dupilumab , atopic dermatitis , medicine , single center , dermatology life quality index , observational study , cohort , adverse effect , dermatology , disease
Dupilumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, key drivers of type 2 helper T-cell (Th2)-mediated inflammatory response. It was the first biologic treatment approved for adult patients with inadequately-controlled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). Continuous collection of daily data practice is important in order to evaluate the real effectiveness and safety of dupilumab treatment.
Methods: In this observational cohort study, we prospectively included all adult patients with moderate to severe AD treated with dupilumab in our portuguese dermatology center from July 2019 to April 2020. Baseline clinical data was initially collected and treatment effectiveness and safety were assessed after 16 weeks.
Results: Twenty-five patients were included. All patients had been previously treated with systemic immunosuppressants. The estimated mean Eczema Area and Severity Index Score (EASI) decreased from 27.8 at baseline to 8.8 at week 16 (+/- 4 weeks). A ΔEASI 75 response was achieved by 58.3% of patients (ΔEASI 90 - 29.1%). Conjunctivitis was the main reported side-effect, affecting 20.8% of patients.
Discussion: Our study showed a significant EASI reduction during the first 16-weeks of dupilumab treatment in adult patients with AD. Despite its overall safety, daily-practice data tend to report a higher risk of conjunctivitis than previously expected and we hence recommend that patients should be specifically informed about this possible side-effect.