Ao S, Gao X, Zhan J, Ai L, Li M, Su H, Tang X, Chu C, Han J, Wang F. Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor improves conventional steroid therapy for Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis in a cohort of patients.
J Am Acad Dermatol 2022;
86:1236-1245. [PMID:
35121075 DOI:
10.1016/j.jaad.2022.01.039]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Systemic steroid therapies for Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) have been challenged because of their limited benefits. Whether additional tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α inhibition provides an optimized approach remains unexplored.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of TNF-α inhibition combined with a steroid to treat SJS/TEN and to identify potential biomarkers.
METHODS
Twenty-five patients with SJS/TEN were recruited and divided into 2 groups: 10 patients received methylprednisolone and 15 patients received etanercept plus methylprednisolone. Serum levels of granzyme B, perforin, interferon-γ, interleukin (IL) 6, IL-15, IL-18, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α, macrophage inflammatory protein 1β, and TNF-α were measured by multiplex cytokine analysis kits during the acute and resolution phases.
RESULTS
Compared with the steroid monotherapy, the combination therapy significantly shortened the course of the initial steroid treatment and the duration of the acute stage, hospitalization stay, and skin re-epithelialization. Although both therapies significantly reduced IL-15 levels; the combination therapy also decreased IL-6 and IL-18 levels. While the level of IL-15 was positively correlated with skin re-epithelialization time in both groups, the level of IL-6 served as an additional marker for the course of the disease in the combination therapy group.
LIMITATIONS
The cohort size is relatively small.
CONCLUSION
Additional TNF-α inhibition to steroid treatment appeared to improve outcomes for SJS/TEN.
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