Investigation of clinical factors influencing the response to systemic glucocorticoid treatment in patients with progressive non-segmental vitiligo / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To compare the clinical data and peripheral blood levels of CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL) 9 and CXCL10 between patients with progressive non-segmental vitiligo who were sensitive to systemic glucocorticoid treatment and those who were resistant, and to clarify key clinical factors influencing the sensitivity to systemic glucocorticoid treatment.Methods:From May 2021 to May 2023, a cohort of patients with progressive non-segmental vitiligo receiving systemic glucocorticoid treatment was established in Huashan Hospital, Fudan University. Clinical data and peripheral blood samples were prospectively collected from all enrolled patients. Standard treatment, i.e., intramuscular injections of 1 ml of compound betamethasone once a month, was administered. After 3-month treatment, the improvement of patients′ skin lesions was estimated, and the vitiligo area and severity index (VASI) score and the Vitiligo European Task Force assessment tool (VETFa) were used to evaluate the efficacy. Patients with VASI changes ≥ 0 and VETFa progression scores ≤ 0 point were included in the glucocorticoid-sensitive group (i.e., the patients′ condition was stable or improved), otherwise those with VASI changes < 0 and VETFa progression scores of 1 point were included in the glucocorticoid-resistant group. Associations of lesion locations, specific clinical markers (trichrome lesions, confetti-like depigmentation, and Koebner phenomenon), previous medication history, family history of vitiligo, etc. with the response to systemic glucocorticoid treatment were analyzed. At baseline and after 3-month treatment, peripheral blood samples were collected from the patients, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect the plasma levels of CXCL9 and CXCL10. Statistical analysis was carried out by using the chi-square test, Fisher′s exact test, binary logistic regression analysis, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results:A total of 142 patients with vitiligo were enrolled, and 127 completed 3-month treatment, including 77 males and 50 females. Their age at diagnosis was 18 to 65 (36.6 ± 11.4) years, and the disease duration ranged from 2 months to 58 (13.5 ± 10.7) years; 25 (19.7%) had a family history of vitiligo; the percentage of lesion area to total body surface area before treatment ranged from 1% to 70% (11.5% ± 12.7%), and the VASI score was 1% to 70% (10.8% ± 11.6%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the absence of specific clinical markers (odds ratio [ OR] = 6.900, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.228, 38.757, P = 0.028), carrying a single specific clinical marker ( OR = 2.579, 95% CI: 1.012, 6.574, P = 0.047), having a history of topical glucocorticoid treatment ( OR = 2.643, 95% CI: 1.019, 6.850, P = 0.041), the absence of family history of vitiligo ( OR = 5.090, 95% CI: 1.070, 24.215, P = 0.030), and lesions on the proximal extremities ( OR = 3.767, 95% CI: 1.315, 10.793, P = 0.037) were risk factors for the resistance to systemic glucocorticoid treatment in the patients with vitiligo. After 3-month treatment, the glucocorticoid-sensitive group showed a significant decrease in plasma CXCL10 levels compared with those before treatment ( W = 571.00, P < 0.001), while there was no significant difference between the pre- and post-treatment CXCL10 levels in the glucocorticoid-resistant group ( W = 48.00, P = 0.524). Additionally, no significant difference was observed in changes of the plasma CXCL9 level before and after treatment between the glucocorticoid-sensitive and glucocorticoid-resistant groups ( P > 0.05) . Conclusions:Carrying no or a single specific clinical marker, having a history of topical glucocorticoid treatment, the absence of family history of vitiligo, and lesions on the proximal extremities appeared to be risk factors for the resistance to systemic glucocorticoid treatment in patients with progressive non-segmental vitiligo. Changes in CXCL10 levels after treatment may be used as an important evaluation indicator for determining whether patients with progressive vitiligo were resistant to systemic glucocorticoid treatment.

Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions: A Single-Center Retrospective Study of 173 Patients in China

BACKGROUND: Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR) to drugs are a crucial public health issue and the use of systemic corticosteroids in SCAR has been controversial. OBJECTIVE: To analyze clinical features, causative drugs, treatment, outcomes, and prognostic factors of SCAR in the case-series of 173 patients, and add more information to the debate of using systemic corticosteroids in SCAR management. METHODS: A retrospective study of 173 SCAR patients diagnosed with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) or acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) at a tertiary care institution in China between January 2014 and December 2017 was conducted. RESULTS: Of 173 patients, allopurinol, carbamazepine, and antibiotics are the most frequently implicated drugs for DRESS (40.4%), SJS/TEN (26.0%), and AGEP (40.0%) respectively. Moreover, there is a strongly negative correlation between early corticosteroids use and the progression (p=0.000) and severity (p=0.01) of skin lesions. However, there is no association between early corticosteroids use and the mortality of SCAR (odds ratio: 1.01, 95% confidence interval: 0.95~1.08). In addition, lymphadenopathy, eosinophilia, and interval from onset to corticosteroids treatment were correlated with SCAR prognosis. CONCLUSION: Prompt short-course systemic corticosteroids use is associated with early-stage skin lesions remission without influencing the disease mortality. Lymphadenopathy and eosinophilia were the independent poor prognostic factors of SCAR.

Xiaozhi Jiangmei Decoction Treat Fat Liver together with Abnormal Liver Function / 浙江中医药大学学报

Objective To evaluate the curative effect of Xiaozhi Jiangmei Decoction in treating fat liver with abnormal liver function. Method 60 patients of fat liver with abnormal liver function take themselves as control, all taking Xiaozhi Jiangmei Decoction; observe for 3 months in succession. Result After 3 months, the serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase(GPT) increased to 39.21?3.42 from 67.31?2.52, the glutamic oxaloacetic transminase(GOT) decreased to 41.12?2.82 from 68.52?3.12. Meanwhile, the liver B ultrasound exam showed much relieved fat liver, even disappeared. Conclusion Xiaozhi Jiangmei Decoction has reliable therapeutic effect in removing symptoms of fat liver and protecting liver function, without any side effects.