Efficacy of acitretin in the treatment of reactive neutrophilic dermatoses in adult-onset immunodeficiency due to interferon-gamma autoantibody

Reactive neutrophilic dermatoses in adult-onset immunodeficiency due to interferon-γ autoantibody (AOID) are usually associated with concomitant active opportunistic infections. Data focusing on the treatment of these dermatoses with non-immunosuppressive drugs are still lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of acitretin treatment of reactive neutrophilic dermatoses in AOID. We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with AOID who had reactive neutrophilic dermatoses and had been treated with acitretin from January 2008 to December 2018. In total, 23 patients had been diagnosed with AOID, with 27 episodes of reactive neutrophilic dermatoses (20 episodes of Sweet syndrome and seven episodes of generalized pustular eruption) and treated with acitretin. The median effective dose of acitretin was 10 mg/day. The mean initial response was 5.6 ± 2.3 days. The rash had almost or completely cleared within 2 weeks in 70.4% of patients. One case had developed a reversible acitretin-induced liver injury with hepatocellular pattern. The median total duration of treatment was 3 months. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential role of acitretin as one of the treatments of choice for reactive neutrophilic dermatoses in AOID, attributable to its favorable response and good tolerability.     

Acitretin in erosive penile lichen planus

Lichen planus (LP) is an incompletely understood T‐cell mediated auto‐immune dermatosis. When LP involves the genitalia it may present as painful, pruritic erosions that can be exquisitely tender, causing distress and genitourinary and sexual dysfunction. Management of erosive genital LP is often suboptimal. Despite higher order evidence demonstrating the efficacy of oral acitretin in the management of cutaneous and oral LP, it still features below other immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies in many clinicians’ therapeutic ladder. We present a case of severe erosive penile LP, successfully treated with oral acitretin after topical and oral corticosteroids failed to induce remission.     

Case of punctate palmoplantar keratoderma type I treated with combination of low‐dose oral acitretin and topical salicylic acid and steroid

Palmoplantar keratodermas (PPK) are heterogeneous disorders characterized by abnormal keratinization. Especially, punctate PPK (PPPK), one of the subtypes of hereditary PPK, is a rare punctate keratoderma characterized by tiny “raindrop” keratoses having a tendency to coalesce on the edge of soles, which are exposed to sustained pressure. If typical punctate lesions are confined to the palms and soles and the patient has a family history and late onset, it can be considered as PPPK type I (PPKP1), also called Buschke–Fisher–Brauer disease. The exact etiology of PPPK has not been fully understood. Furthermore, no standardized treatment for PPPK has been established and treatment options are limited. Above all, traditional systemic retinoids have been used in several cases, but dose‐related adverse effects are common. Therefore, combination of low‐dose systemic retinoids and adjuvant topical therapy can be an alternative treatment option for PPPK. Herein, we report a case of PPKP1 treated with combination of low‐dose oral acitretin (10 mg/day) and topical salicylic acid and steroid. Despite low capacity, low‐dose acitretin showed excellent regression of the lesions by combined use of topical ointments. The supplementary topical therapy may be useful in reducing the dose of systemic retinoids and preventing potential toxicity.     

Optimizing acitretin use in patients with plaque psoriasis

Acitretin is one of the systemic agents used for the treatment of psoriasis. Because different acitretin dosages resulted therapeutically successful, there is no general agreement on the optimal dose regimen. To report acitretin efficacy and safety in a real‐life setting, wherein patient‐tailored dose regimen is usually prescribed, a retrospective analysis evaluating charts of all plaque‐type psoriasis patients treated with acitretin from the clinic database was performed. PASI score improvement, as well as PASI 50, 75, 90, and 100 responses were assessed throughout the observational period. Overall, 52% PASI score reduction and a satisfactory safety profile were detected. PASI 50, 75, 90, and 100 response was achieved by 53%, 48%, 28%, and 14%, respectively. Treatment consisted on a mean daily acitretin dose of 25.01 mg. The initial dose was increased (51.2% of cases) or decreased (48.8%) prescribing a mean daily dose of 29.8 mg and 20.02 mg, respectively. This study proposed a dose regimen customized on clinical response and patient's needs, to optimized acitretin benefit.     

Retinoic acid for treatment of systemic sclerosis and morphea: A literature review

Systemic sclerosis and morphea are connective tissue diseases characterized by tightening, thickening, and hardening of the skin, leading to significant morbidity. Unfortunately, current treatment options have limited efficacy for many patients. Cutaneous manifestations of these diseases arise from excess collagen deposition and fibrosis in the skin, through pathogenic mechanisms which have yet to be extensively detailed at the causal immune and cellular levels. Research elucidating the mechanism of action of retinoic acid on collagen production in the skin and case series highlighting the success of retinoic acid on the skin manifestations of systemic sclerosis and on morphea demonstrate its promise as a treatment. Herein they will briefly review the treatment options for both systemic sclerosis and morphea, and will discuss the potential of retinoic acid as a therapy and the supporting evidence from the literature, highlighting the previously published basic science and clinical studies investigating the role of retinoic acid in the treatment of sclerotic skin diseases.     

桐油联合阿维A酸对银屑病的疗效及其对IL-23/Th17信号通路的影响

目的 观察桐油联合阿维A酸对轻、中度寻常型银屑病的疗效及其对IL-23/Th17信号通路的影响。方法 将196例寻常型银屑病患者随机分为桐油组及对照组,每组98例,对照组患者均给予阿维A酸联合窄谱中波紫外线（NB-UVB）治疗,桐油组患者在对照组治疗基础上给予桐油外敷。以银屑病皮损面积和严重程度指数（psoriasis area and severity index,PASI）评价桐油组及对照组疗效。酶联免疫吸附试验法（ELISA）检测治疗前后2组皮损组织中IL-17、IL-22、TNF-α和IL-23水平变化。免疫组织化学法分析治疗前后2组皮损组织中Th17细胞含量变化。结果 桐油组的总有效率（94.90%）显著高于对照组（76.53%）（P<0.05）。与治疗前相比,治疗后2组PASI评分均显著降低（P<0.01）,且治疗后桐油组显著低于对照组（P<0.05）。与治疗前相比,治疗后2组皮损中IL-23、IL-17、IL-22和TNF-α水平均显著降低（P<0.05）,且治疗后桐油组显著低于对照组（P<0.05）。治疗后2组患者皮损组织中Th17细胞百分比显著低于治疗前,且桐油组显著低于对照组（P<0.05）。桐油组不良反应发生率（14.29%）略高低于对照组（10.20%）,但差异不具有统计学意义。结论 桐油外敷联合阿维A酸治疗轻、中度寻常型银屑病有较好的疗效,其机制可能与抑制患者皮损组织中IL-23/Th17信号通路的活性有关。     

Strategy to manage the treatment of severe psoriasis: considerations of efficacy,safety and cost

Psoriasis is a common, unpredictable, chronic immune-mediated disease characterised by skin lesions and frequently associated with arthritis. Although rarely fatal, psoriasis has a tremendous impact on a patients’ quality of life. Traditional therapies for severe psoriasis include phototherapy, methotrexate, oral retinoids and cyclosporin. New biological agents add to the treatment options for psoriasis; however, they raise the already considerable cost of managing the disease. In considering efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness, ultraviolet Type B (UVB) phototherapy appears to be the best first-line agent for the control of psoriasis. Methotrexate, psoralen plus UVA, alefacept, etanercept and infliximab are appropriate second-line agents, the choice of which requires considerable patient input and physician judgement. Developing rational, effective and acceptable strategies to manage psoriasis treatments would encourage cost-effective psoriasis management.     

Secukinumab and acitretin as a combination therapy for three clinical forms of severe psoriasis in multi‐drug refractory patients: A case series of high efficacy and safety profile

Secukinumab, the first monoclonal antibody that inhibits interleukin‐17A, has been shown to have rapid and long‐lasting efficacy in the treatment of moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis. However, there are still difficult‐to‐treat cases in which even dose‐escalation fails to provide a clinical response. In such cases, combining secukinumab with a conventional systemic agent may be a rational approach. Although methotrexate is most commonly preferred, acitretin may also be considered a good alternative, with its lower hepatotoxic potential. Data are limited regarding the use of combination therapy of secukinumab and acitretin for psoriasis. We herein present three patients with chronic plaque, generalized pustular and erythrodermic psoriasis, respectively, accompanied by multiple comorbidities, in whom skin clearance could not be achieved with several conventional and biologic therapies (including escalated dose regimens of secukinumab in two patients). Alternatively, we used a combination of secukinumab with low‐dose acitretin, which resulted in a complete or almost complete skin clearance in all patients, with no adverse events or increased toxicity. Based on our real‐life clinical experience with those patients, acitretin seems an effective and safe option to be used in combination with secukinumab. Even in patients who are refractory to multiple drugs including escalated doses of secukinumab, the addition of low‐dose acitretin may be helpful in achieving treatment goals, decreasing the need for switching to another biologic therapy.     

Effect of Chinese herbal medicine combined with acitretin capsule in treating psoriasis of blood-heat syndrome type

Objective:To observe the clinical curative effect of Chinese herbal medicine combined with acitretin capsule in treating psoriasis of blood-heat syndrome(P-BH).Methods:Eighty patients of P-BH were randomly assigned to two groups,39 in Group A and 41 in Group B.Both was treated with Chinese herbal medicines for clearing heat,cooling blood and removing toxic substance,and acitretin capsule was given to Group A additionally,with 8 weeks as one therapeutic course.The clinical curative effect was compared bet...