Detection of circulating adhesion molecules in erythrodermic skin disease

Systemic monotherapy with acitretin for erythrodermic psoriasis: results of a retrospective study of 81 patients

Background

Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) remains challenging to manage because it is rare and has complex complications. Although acitretin is recommended as an appropriate choice for EP, there is a lack of large-scale evidence.

Objectives

This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of acitretin as systemic monotherapy in EP patients.

Design

We retrospectively analyzed data from patients with EP who received at least 3 months of acitretin as systemic monotherapy during hospitalization and out-patient follow-up from January 2005 to May 2021 at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China.

Methods

The efficacy was clinically evaluated after 1, 2, 4, and 12 weeks of treatment, which was classified as a good response (>75% of lesions cleared), partial response (50%-75% cleared), moderate response (25-50% cleared), or no response (<25% cleared). Safety was assessed on the basis of physical examination results and significant changes in laboratory examination results after 12 weeks of treatment.

Results

Overall, 81 patients (79.0% men; mean age, 47.9 years) were included. The acitretin dose ranged from 20 to 60 mg/day (0.3 to 0.8 mg/kg/day). The rates of good, partial, and moderate responses were 0.0%, 2.5%, and 42.0% at 1 week; 3.7%, 34.6%, and 61.7% at 2 weeks; 29.6%, 58.0%, and 12.4% at 4 weeks; and 85.2%, 13.6%, and 1.2% at 12 weeks after treatment initiation, respectively. EP patients transformed from psoriasis vulgaris showed a higher good/partial response rate compared with that of EP patients that developed from pustular or articular psoriasis (44.6% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.035). Patients with concurrent infection showed a lower rate of good/partial response compared with that of those without concurrent infection (16.7% vs. 44.4%, p = 0.049). Adverse effects were seen in 45 (55.6%) patients in 12 weeks, and dyslipidemia (n = 31; 38.3%), xerosis (n = 24; 29.6%), and elevated liver enzymes (n = 6; 7.4%) were most commonly reported. Twenty-three patients were followed up for over 3 years, and six (26.1%) patients had EP recurrence.

Conclusions

Acitretin as a systemic monotherapy showed satisfactory effectiveness for EP, especially in patients developed from psoriasis vulgaris and without infection.

Two cases of Erythrodermic psoriasis treated with Golimumab

Introduction and importance

Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) is a very severe subtype of psoriasis, with a challenge poses in its treatment, as currently available therapies often provide unsatisfactory results, for those many biologics have been used in the treatment of EP such as Golimumab which has been extensively studied for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, and chronic plaque psoriasis. However, no clinical trials have been performed for EP.

Case presentation

We report two cases of a 23-year old female, and a 31-year male who presented with severe psoriasis that previously un respond to ultraviolet B phototherapy, methotrexate, cyclosporine, and topical agents. Skin lesions worsened progressively and developed into erythroderma. Therefore, we administered golimumab 50 mg, which lead to the improvement of the skin lesions according to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score after the first administration; lesions improved further throughout the treatment course.

Conclusion

Golimumab may be an alternative treatment for Erythrodermic psoriasis patients unrespond to other treatments even it did not have the FDA approval, so this is an off label indication and treatment.

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Erythrodermic psoriasis is a very severe subtype of psoriasis, with a challenge poses in its treatment.

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Golimumab is tumor necrosis factor inhibitors.

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Golimumab is FDA approved treatment for psoriatic arthritis, and chronic plaque psoriasis. However, no clinical trials have been performed for the treatment of erythrodermic psoriasis.

Updates on the Treatment of Erythrodermic Psoriasis

Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) is a rare variant of psoriasis, which is potentially life threatening and often resistant to conventional therapy. Biologics have revolutionized the treatment of plaque-type psoriasis, and shown promise in EP. However, due to the lack of head-to-head studies and the rarity of EP, no high level evidence-based treatment guidelines for EP have been established, and the evidence of treatment of EP is limited to case reports or small case series. Here, we present a narrative review focusing on the up-to-date information for the treatment of EP.

Proteinuria and Psoriasis Risk: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory dermatosis, has been associated with chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease. However, the association of the changes or amount of proteinuria with psoriasis development has not been evaluated. Using the Korean National Health Screening database, we assessed psoriasis development until 2018 in 6,576,851 Koreans who underwent health examinations in 2009 and 2011. Psoriasis was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) code L40. The risk of psoriasis was evaluated according to change in proteinuria (never [Neg (no proteinuria)/Neg], new [Neg/Pos (proteinuria present)], past [Pos/Neg] and persistent [Pos/Pos] proteinuria) and the proteinuria amount. During a median 7.23-year follow-up, 162,468 (2.47%) individuals developed psoriasis. After adjustments, the hazard ratio (HR) for psoriasis was higher in the persistent proteinuria group (1.32 [1.24–1.40]) than in the never proteinuria group. The past proteinuria group showed better renal outcome (1.03 [1.00–1.07]) than the new (1.05 [1.01–1.07]) and never proteinuria (reference, 1.00) groups did. The amount of random urine proteinuria was associated with increased HR for psoriasis. Subgroup analyses for age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), hypertension and diabetes showed that the persistent proteinuria group had a higher risk of psoriasis than the never proteinuria group, especially at eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m². Persistent proteinuria is associated with psoriasis risk, and the proteinuria amount significantly affects psoriasis development.

Targeted Treatment for Erythrodermic Psoriasis: Rationale and Recent Advances

Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) is an extreme and often refractory variant of psoriasis with high morbidity and increased mortality, and is frequently classified as a dermatological emergency. The pathophysiology of EP is largely unknown but is thought to differ from that of plaque psoriasis. Treatment of EP is challenging, and usually based on clinical experience and patient co-morbidities, due to its low incidence and limited clinical evidence. Conventional treatments, such as topical glucocorticoid therapy, cyclosporin, acitretin, and methotrexate have some but limited efficacy in EP, and treatment discontinuation may result in flares. Newer biological drugs, including anti-TNF, anti-IL-17, and anti-IL-12/23 agents, have shown promise in therapeutic management of EP, but most of the available evidence is currently based on small case series and reports. Few studies have compared available treatment options for EP, and further clinical studies are necessary to provide clinical data and optimal treatment guidelines for EP patients. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the background of EP, assess the available clinical data on the efficacy of targeted therapies, and aim to provide a foundation for clinical decision making for this rare form of psoriasis.

Erythrodermic psoriasis: pathophysiology and current treatment perspectives

Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) is a rare and severe variant of psoriasis vulgaris, with an estimated prevalence of 1%-2.25% among psoriatic patients. The condition presents with distinct histopathologic and clinical findings, which include a generalized inflammatory erythema involving at least 75% of the body surface area. The pathogenesis of EP is not well understood; however, several studies suggest that the disease is associated with a predominantly T helper 2 (Th2) phenotype. Given the morbidity and potential mortality associated with the condition, there is a need for a better understanding of its pathophysiology. The management of EP begins with a comprehensive assessment of the patient's presentation and often requires multidisciplinary supportive measures. In 2010, the medical board of the US National Psoriasis Foundation published consensus guidelines advocating the use of cyclosporine or infliximab as first-line therapy in unstable cases, with acitretin and methotrexate reserved for more stable cases. Since the time of that publication, additional information regarding the efficacy of newer agents has emerged. We review the latest data with regard to the treatment of EP, which includes biologic therapies such as ustekinumab and ixekizumab.

Erythrodermic psoriasis: current and future role of biologicals

Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) is a severe form of psoriasis that may be associated with serious and sometimes fatal complications. The treatment of EP is often a challenge, since several factors, including treatment failure or possible complications, may limit favorable outcomes with traditional drugs. Recent evidence suggests that biological drugs, including both anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents and ustekinumab, may be useful in improving the management of EP. Unfortunately, since subjects with EP are usually excluded from pivotal trials involving biological agents, this evidence is currently dispersed in small case series and single case reports. In this paper, we briefly analyze conventional therapies for EP, before going on to critically evaluate the existing clinical evidence for the role of current biological drugs, namely infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, and ustekinumab. Finally, we discuss the potential benefits that newer/developmental biological agents could bring to the management of EP.

The role of selectins in alopecia areata

Introduction

One of the main histopathological features of alopecia areata (AA) is a lymphocytic infiltration that surrounds hair follicles. Soluble forms of E, L, P-selectins are known indicators of ongoing inflammation. There are no studies regarding the assessment of their contribution in AA.

Aim

To assess serum concentrations of selectins (E-selectin, L-selectin and P-selectin) in patients with AA in relation to selected clinical parameters, including disease severity and activity.

Material and methods

Sixty-four patients with AA were involved in the study. The diagnosis was based on physical examination and photodermoscopy. The control group consisted of 40 healthy subjects. The serum concentrations of soluble E-selectin, L-selectin and P-selectin were detected with ELISA method.

Results

Statistically significantly higher levels of E, P, L-selectins were found in AA patients as compared with the healthy group. Serum concentrations of soluble forms of E- and L-selectins correlated with the severity of the disease, while E-selectin with activity of AA.

Conclusions

This study shows that selectins may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AA and may be a target of future therapies in this disease.

Markers of systemic inflammation in psoriasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Studies investigating systemic inflammation in psoriasis use different serum markers and report discrepant results. We set out to determine whether systemic inflammation is elevated in patients with psoriasis compared with healthy controls, and to measure the extent of this elevation, by summarizing available data on serum inflammatory markers. PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched from inception to March 2011. We included studies comparing the serum inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, C-reactive protein (CRP), intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, E-selectin and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α in patients with psoriasis and healthy controls. Differences in serum marker levels between patients and controls were pooled as standardized mean differences (SMDs; Cohen's d) using a random-effects model. Seventy-eight studies were eligible. Of the 7852 individuals included, 3085 had (severe plaque) psoriasis. The pooled SMDs were higher in patients with psoriasis than in healthy controls for IL-6 [d = 1·32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·83-1·81], CRP (d = 1·83, 95% CI 0·76-2·90), TNF-α (d = 1·32, 95% CI 0·86-1·79), E-selectin (d = 1·78, 95% CI 1·32-2·25) and ICAM-1 (d = 1·77, 95% CI 1·15-2·39). The SMD between cases and controls for IL-1β and IL-10 was not significant. Age had a significant effect on the SMD for IL-6 and TNF-α. For IL-6 the effect size was higher for plaque psoriasis studies (d = 1·98). The effect size was not influenced by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, measurement method or quality assessment. The pooled analyses suggest modest but significantly elevated levels of the proinflammatory cytokines in the serum of patients with psoriasis with predominantly severe disease. To what extent this modest increment is clinically relevant could be investigated in a synthesis of all studies measuring inflammation before and after antipsoriatic therapy.

Mining emerging biomedical literature for understanding disease associations in drug discovery

Systematically evaluating the exponentially growing body of scientific literature has become a critical task that every drug discovery organization must engage in in order to understand emerging trends for scientific investment and strategy development. Developing trends analysis uses the number of publications within a 3-year window to determine concepts derived from well-established disease and gene ontologies to aid in recognizing and predicting emerging areas of scientific discoveries relevant to that space. In this chapter, we describe such a method and use obesity and psoriasis as use-case examples by analyzing the frequency of disease-related MeSH terms in PubMed abstracts over time. We share how our system can be used to predict emerging trends at a relatively early stage and we analyze the literature-identified genes for genetic associations, druggability, and biological pathways to explore any potential biological connections between the two diseases that could be utilized for drug discovery.

A distinct profile of serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-3 in mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome

BACKGROUND

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) play a pivotal role in cutaneous localization of T cells. Tissue-selective localization of T lymphocytes to the skin is crucial for immune surveillance and in the pathogenesis of skin disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To detect the profile of soluble CAMs in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), we investigated the levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, soluble ICAM-1 [sICAM-1]); intercellular adhesion molecule-3 (sICAM-3); vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1); and E-selectin (sE-selectin) in sera from patients with T-cell-mediated skin diseases.

METHODS

Serum levels of the 4 CAMs were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 42 participants including 11 patients with early stages of CTCL; 7 with advanced stages of CTCL including Sézary syndrome; 12 with inflammatory skin diseases (psoriasis and atopic dermatitis); 8 with skin diseases that may evolve into CTCL; and healthy individuals. Levels were correlated with biological parameters known as prognostic factors in non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

RESULTS

In patients with CTCL, significantly increased levels of sICAM-1 and sICAM-3 were found when compared with healthy individuals and patients with inflammatory dermatosis. Soluble E-selectin and sVCAM-1 levels were not increased. There were significant positive correlations between sICAM-1 and sICAM-3 levels and each of them with beta2-microglobulin levels.

LIMITATIONS

Limited number of patients was a limitation.

CONCLUSION

There is a distinct profile of soluble CAMs in patients with CTCL. However, future studies with a larger group of patients are needed to confirm these findings. We propose that high sICAM-1 and sICAM-3 levels have important implications in the context of immune response and immune surveillance in these patients.

Is renal function altered in patients with psoriasis vulgaris?--A short review

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis with distinct microvascular changes. Although it is generally accepted that the psoriatic process is limited to the skin, it is not excluded that similar vascular lesions might be present in internal organs, such as the kidneys. This review summarizes data on renal function in psoriatic patients who were never treated with the potentially nephrotoxic drugs used for treatment of psoriasis. The limited number of such studies is mainly concentrated on microalbuminuria. Enhanced urinary albumin excretion at the level of microalbuminuria has been found in some psoriatic individuals. All other routine laboratory renal tests were within their normal ranges. As microalbuminuria is regarded as a subclinical marker of glomerular dysfunction, the authors hypothesize that some psoriatic patients may present subclinical glomerular changes. However, kidney histopathology is necessary to confirm this hypothesis.

Erythroderma

Erythroderma can be caused by a variety of underlying dermatoses, infections, and systemic diseases. Many of the findings on history, physical examination, and laboratory evaluation are nondiagnostic. Distinctive clinical and laboratory features pointing to a specific disease may be evident, however. Conclusive clinicopathologic correlation may require multiple and repeated skin biopsies. The prognosis of erythroderma has improved with the advent of innovative dermatologic therapies (e.g., cyclosporine and synthetic retinoids) and advances in the management of systemic manifestations. Death from sepsis, cardiac failure, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and capillary leak syndrome continue to be rarely reported. A high index of suspicion for these complications must be maintained to facilitate early medical intervention.

Soluble E-selectin serum levels correlate with disease activity in psoriatic patients

E-selectin is an adhesion molecule expressed on vascular endothelial cells in several inflammatory skin diseases, including psoriasis. It is responsible for the adherence between microvascular endothelium and neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils and subsets of T cells. Soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) serum levels were measured by ELISA in 32 psoriatic patients before treatment and compared with both post-treatment sE-selectin levels in 16 patients and sE-selectin values in 10 healthy individuals. Soluble E-selectin serum levels were significantly increased in psoriatic patients compared with healthy persons. Moreover, a significant correlation was demonstrated between sE-selectin values and PASI scores. No relationship was found between sE-selectin levels and duration of psoriasis. Soluble E-selectin serum levels decreased significantly after treatment of psoriasis. This phenomenon was more evident in patients with more severe psoriasis. In conclusion, sE-selectin serum levels correlate with the extent of psoriatic lesions and could be used as marker of the disease activity in psoriatic patients.