Biomarkers and patient-related factors associated with clinical outcomes in dupilumab-treated atopic dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic eczematous skin disease with severe pruritus. Several new therapeutic agents for AD such as dupilumab, an anti-IL-4Rα antibody, have been developed in recent years. We need to predict which agent is the best choice for each patient, but this remains difficult. Objective: Our aim was to examine clinical background factors and baseline biomarkers that could predict the achievement of improved clinical outcomes in patients with AD treated with dupilumab. Methods: A multicenter, prospective observational study was conducted on 110 patients with AD. The Eczema Area and Severity Index was used as an objective assessment, and the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure and Numerical Rating Scale for Pruritus were used as patient-reported outcomes. In addition, some clinical background factors were evaluated. Results: The achievement of an absolute Eczema Area and Severity Index of 7 or less was negatively associated with current comorbidity of food allergy and baseline serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. There were negative associations between achievement of a Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure score of 7 or less and duration of severe AD and between achievement of an itching Numerical Rating Scale for Pruritus score of 1 or less and current comorbidity of allergic conjunctivitis or baseline serum periostin level. Furthermore, signal detection analysis showed that a baseline serum LDH level less than 328 U/L could potentially be used as a cutoff value for predicting the efficacy of dupilumab. Conclusion: Baseline biomarkers such as LDH and periostin and clinical background factors such as current comorbidity of food allergy and a long period of severe disease may be useful indicators when choosing dupilumab for systemic treatment for AD, as they can predict the efficacy of dupilumab.

Ultrasonographic Synovitis Is Associated with the Development of Joint Destruction in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is characterized by enthesitis. As persistent inflammation around joints results in bone and cartilage destruction and physical impairment, a detailed assessment of inflammation is essential. We previously reported the difference between clinical assessment (tenderness) and ultrasound (US) assessment (inflammation) of entheses. Herein, we investigated whether clinical or US assessment of joints and entheses can predict the progression of joint destruction in Japanese patients with PsA. METHODS: Thirty joints and 14 entheses in 47 patients were assessed using US and clinical examination. The US greyscale (GS) and power Doppler (PD) scores at the ultrasonographic synovitis, the US active enthesitis count, and the clinical tender joint/entheses count were assessed. Additionally, the yearly radiographic progression of the Sharp-van der Heijde scoring method for PsA was assessed. Their correlations were investigated. RESULTS: About half of the patients with PsA experienced joint destruction during a follow-up period of 20.4 months. Progression of joint destruction in patients with PsA only correlated with joint GS and PD scores, reflecting the severity of ultrasonographic synovitis, not with the tender joint/entheses count. CONCLUSIONS: US examinations are essential for preventing joint destruction and physical impairment in patients with PsA.

Bexarotene-induced hypothyroidism and dyslipidemia; a nation-wide study.

Central hypothyroidism and dyslipidemia are well-known adverse events (AEs) of bexarotene therapy. Although hypothyroidism is known to cause dyslipidemia, no study has examined the association between hypothyroidism and dyslipidemia in patients undergoing bexarotene therapy. The aim of this study is to examine this association. A retrospective observational study was performed among 294 patients who initiated bexarotene therapy in Japan (nation-wide postmarketing complete surveillance). Jonckheere-Terpstra (one sided) test was performed to evaluate the effect of the bexarotene dose on lipid metabolisms, and regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations of bexarotene dose, free thyroxine (FT4), body mass index (BMI), and lipid metabolisms. Most patients developed hypothyroidism. Two-third of patients showed FT4 values below the lower limit at 1 week. Triglycerides (TG) increased in a bexarotene dose-dependent manner, and grade ≥3 AEs on hypertriglyceridemia was observed in 39% of the patients. Additionally, one-third of grade ≥3 AEs on hypertriglyceridemia occurred within 1 week. The delta_FT4 (difference in FT4 from baseline) negatively correlated with TG increase at 1 week (p = 0.012) but not with low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) increase at any week. Bexarotene-induced hypothyroidism is almost inevitable and occurred quickly. Bexarotene-induced hypertriglyceridemia showed positive bexarotene dose dependency and negative delta_FT4 dependency. Prophylactic and appropriate thyroid hormone compensation therapy and starting bexarotene at low doses with subsequent titration while managing dyslipidemia may have a beneficial effect for the successful continuation of bexarotene therapy without severe endocrine and metabolic AEs.

Granular C3 dermatosis-A report of two cases and a mini-review of literature.

Granular C3 dermatosis (GCD) is characterized by bullous, erythematous, and eczematous skin lesions similar to dermatitis herpetiformis, and granular deposition of complement C3 and C5b-9 along the epidermal basement membrane zone (BMZ) by direct immunofluorescence (IF). Here, we present two cases of GCD with different clinical features. Case 1, a 49-year-old man, showed pruritic blisters and erythema of the extremities. Case 2, a 53-year-old woman, showed severely pruritic papules, erythema, and erosions on the entire body with scattered blisters, mainly on the lower extremities. Both patients showed mild eosinophilia on blood tests, subepidermal blisters and prominent eosinophilic infiltration in the upper dermis on histopathological examination, and granular BMZ deposition of C3, but not of immunoglobulins or other complement components, on direct IF. No circulating autoantibodies were detected on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays, indirect IF using 1 mol/L NaCl-split normal human skin, or immunoblotting. Diagnosis of GCD was made in both cases. Case 1 was successfully treated with topical steroids, oral minocycline, and nicotinamide without any recurrence of symptoms. Case 2 was treated with oral steroids and showed remarkable improvement, although mild pruritic papules remained. We reviewed 30 reported GCD cases, including the two cases presented here, since Hashimoto et al. first described GCD in 2016. GCD should be more widely recognized, and further accumulation and validation of cases are required.

Gorlin Syndrome and Cowden Syndrome.

Gorlin syndrome and Cowden syndrome are hereditary diseases that are characterized by multiple malignancies, cutaneous symptoms, and various other abnormalities. Both disorders are caused by a mutation of the gene that regulates cell proliferation and growth, resulting in tumorigenesis. Representative mutations are mutation in the patched 1 gene (PTCH1) in Gorlin syndrome and mutation in the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN) gene in Cowden syndrome. Making a diagnosis of these diseases in the early years of life is important because detection of malignancies at an early stage is linked to improved prognosis. Both Gorlin syndrome and Cowden syndrome have cutaneous findings in the early phase in childhood, and the role of dermatologists is therefore important. These diseases are generally diagnosed by clinical criteria, but some patients who do not meet the criteria need genetic examinations including a genetic diagnostic panel and next-generation sequencing. The most important treatment and management are detection and resection of malignancies in the early stage, and targeted therapies have recently been used for treatment of tumors and other symptoms in these diseases. Although evidence of the effectiveness of targeted therapies has been limited, they are promising therapeutic options and further clinical trials are needed in the future.

Classification and Antigen Molecules of Autoimmune Bullous Diseases.

Autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBDs), which are a group of tissue-specific autoimmune diseases of the skin, present with various blistering lesions on the skin and mucous membranes, and show autoantibodies of IgG, IgA and IgM against epidermal cell surfaces and basement membrane zone. To date, AIBDs have been classified into a number of distinct subtypes by clinical and histopathological findings, and immunological characteristics. In addition, various biochemical and molecular biological studies have identified various novel autoantigens in AIBDs, which has resulted in proposals of new subtypes of AIBDs. In this article, we summarized various distinct AIBDs, and proposed the latest and most comprehensive classification of AIBDs with their autoantigen molecules.

Two sporadic cases of childhood-onset Hailey-Hailey disease with superimposed mosaicism.

A prenatal second-hit genetic change that occurs on the wild-type allele in an embryo with a congenital pathogenic variant allele results in mosaicism of monoallelic and biallelic defect of the gene, which is called superimposed mosaicism. Superimposed mosaicism of Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD) has been demonstrated in one familial case. Here, we report two unrelated HHD cases with superimposed mosaicism: a congenital monoallelic pathogenic variant of ATP2C1, followed by a postzygotic copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity. Uniquely, neither patient had a family history of HHD at the time of presentation. In the first case, the congenital pathogenic variant had occurred de novo. In the second case, the father had the pathogenic variant but had not yet developed skin symptoms. Our cases showed that superimposed mosaicism in HHD can lack a family history and that genetic analysis is crucial to classify the type of mosaicism and evaluate the risk of familial occurrence.

Efficacy and safety of apremilast and phototherapy versus phototherapy only in psoriasis vulgaris.

Phototherapy and apremilast (oral phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor) are well-known in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris. However, current evidence on the efficacy and safety of their combination is not sufficient. This multicenter, randomized controlled study compared the efficacy and safety between phototherapy as monotherapy and phototherapy and apremilast as combination therapy in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Patients with moderate to severe psoriasis vulgaris were assigned to combination (n = 29) and monotherapy (n = 13) groups. All patients underwent an 8-week phototherapy regimen comprising irradiation with narrowband UV-B. The patients in the combination group were also administered 10 mg to 60 mg of oral apremilast. We evaluated the improvement percentage based on the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score from baseline to week 8. Additionally, we evaluated the percentage of patients who achieved ≥75% improvement; changes in body surface area (BSA) and scores of EuroQol 5-dimensions 5-level, Dermatology Life Quality Index, and visual analog scale for pruritis from baseline to 4 and 8 weeks; and adverse events. Compared with the monotherapy group, the combination group had significantly lower PASI scores at 4 and 8 weeks and more patients who achieved a PASI score improvement of ≥75% at 8 weeks. Both groups exhibited a significant decrease in BSA; at 8 weeks, no significant difference was observed between the two groups, although the combination group tended toward a greater reduction in BSA. The intergroup differences in the changes at the three time points were not significant. Adverse events were more frequent in the combination group than in the monotherapy group. Our findings suggest that an 8-week combined apremilast and phototherapy regimen may not be adequate in patients for improvements in their subjective assessment of psoriasis, and longer treatment periods may be necessary.

Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of Bexarotene and Photo(Chemo)Therapy Combination Therapy and Bexarotene Monotherapy for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.

INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a chronic condition with low malignancy. The combined use of therapeutic agents and photo(chemo)therapy is widely applied for the treatment of CTCL. The efficacy and safety of bexarotene and photo(chemo)therapy combination therapy were previously confirmed in Japanese patients with CTCL. The efficacy and safety of the bexarotene and photo(chemo)therapy combination therapy was compared with bexarotene monotherapy in Japanese patients with CTCL. METHODS: This was a randomized, open-label, two-parallel-group, active-control specified clinical study in Japanese patients diagnosed with CTCL carried out over 8 weeks with a study extension conducted at two institutions. This study was registered in Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCTs041180094). RESULTS: In the combination therapy group, 22 subjects received oral bexarotene (300 mg/m2 body surface area) once daily, followed by bath-psoralen and ultraviolet (UV) A or narrowband UVB. In the monotherapy group, 24 subjects received oral bexarotene (300 mg/m2) once daily. The efficacy analysis using the modified Severity-Weighted Assessment Tool, which included 39 patients, showed a response rate of 81.0% (17/21) in the combination therapy group and 83.3% (15/18) in the monotherapy group. No statistically significant difference was detected between groups. In the combination therapy group, four subjects showed a complete clinical response or complete response, and subjects with a partial response exhibited a high rate of skin lesion resolution, significantly better than in the monotherapy group. In the safety analysis, which included 46 treated subjects (22 in the combination therapy group and 24 in the monotherapy group), no adverse events or adverse drug reactions were reported in either group. CONCLUSION: Both bexarotene and photo(chemo)therapy combination therapy and bexarotene monotherapy were therapeutically effective in Japanese patients with CTCL and well tolerated. Combination therapy led to a higher skin lesion resolution rate and greater therapeutic effects compared with monotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: jRCTs041180094.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of bexarotene monotherapy compared with bexarotene and photo(chemo)therapy combination therapy in Japanese patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). The study was a randomized, open-label, two-parallel-group, active-control specified clinical study in patients diagnosed with CTCL performed over an 8-week period with a study extension conducted in two institutions. In the combination therapy group, bexarotene (300 mg/m² body surface area) was administered orally once daily to 22 subjects, followed by treatment with bath-psoralen and ultraviolet A (bath-PUVA) or narrowband UVB. In the bexarotene monotherapy group, bexarotene (300 mg/m²) was administered orally once daily to 24 subjects. Efficacy was assessed using the modified Severity-Weighted Assessment Tool. Among the 39 subjects analyzed for treatment efficacy, the response rate of the combination therapy group was 81.0% (17/21) and that of the monotherapy group was 83.3% (15/18). Differences between the two treatment groups were not statistically significant. Of the 21 subjects in the combination therapy group, 4 had a complete clinical response or complete response, and those with a partial response showed a higher skin lesion resolution rate than in the monotherapy group. The safety analysis revealed no reports of adverse events or adverse drug reactions among the 46 treated subjects (combination therapy group = 22; monotherapy group = 24). Thus, both bexarotene and photo(chemo)therapy combination therapy and bexarotene monotherapy were therapeutically effective and well tolerated in Japanese patients with CTCL. Patients receiving the combined therapy, however, showed a higher rate of skin lesion resolution.

Safety and efficacy of bexarotene for Japanese patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: Real-world experience from post-marketing surveillance.

To establish real-world evidence about the safety and efficacy of bexarotene for Japanese patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, we conducted a nationwide cohort study using data from post-marketing surveillance for bexarotene treatment. In total, 294 patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma were identified between June 2016 and June 2018. Of these, 267 patients were included as the safety analysis set. Of the 267 patients, 175 were included in the efficacy analysis set. Of these, 139 patients had mycosis fungoides, including 46 with early stage disease and 93 with advanced stage disease. Among the 139 patients with mycosis fungoides, the objective response rate was 46.8%. A significant difference in objective response rate was detected between patients who started with bexarotene at 300 mg/m2 (61.6%) and patients who started with bexarotene at less than 300 mg/m2 (22.6%, p < 0.001). Of the 139 patients with mycosis fungoides, 92 were treated with a combination of bexarotene plus photo(chemo)therapy. A significant difference in objective response rate was seen between bexarotene with a combination of photo(chemo)therapy (57.6%) and bexarotene without a combination of photo(chemo)therapy (25.5%, p < 0.001). Starting bexarotene at 300 mg/m2 and combination with photo(chemo)therapy were detected as independent factors influencing response. Common treatment-related adverse events included hypothyroidism (85.8%), hypertriglyceridemia (68.5%), hypercholesterolemia (43.8%), and neutropenia (21.3%). Hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, and neutropenia occurred more frequently in patients who started with bexarotene at 300 mg/m2 than patients who started with bexarotene at less than 300 mg/m2 (hypertriglyceridemia, 76.4% vs. 57.0%, p = 0.001; hypercholesterolemia, 49.0% vs. 36.4%, p = 0.045; neutropenia, 28.0% vs. 12.1%, p = 0.002; respectively). The present study indicates that starting bexarotene at 300 mg/m2 and combination of photo(chemo)therapy offer a promising efficacy for the treatment of patients with mycosis fungoides. Efficacy of low-dose bexarotene plus photo(chemo)therapy should be evaluated in future.