Parra RS, Chebli JMF, Chebli LA, Lima Junior SFD, Lins Neto MA, Medeiros TRD, Faria FM, Feitosa MR, Nigro CMC, Féres O. Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis Secondary to Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.
J Clin Med 2023;
12:jcm12093165. [PMID:
37176606 PMCID:
PMC10179457 DOI:
10.3390/jcm12093165]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Vasculitis is an uncommon complication of biologics used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study describes a case series of vasculitis induced by anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy in IBD patients.
METHODS
Retrospective assessments were performed using the medical records of adult IBD patients who underwent outpatient clinical follow-ups between January 2010 and December 2019 in order to identify patients with vasculitis caused by anti-TNF therapy.
RESULTS
There were 2442 patients altogether. Of these, 862 (35%) took anti-TNF medication. Five patients (0.6% of the overall patients; n = 3 (60%) Crohn's disease; n = 2 (40%), ulcerative colitis) were identified as having leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) due to anti-TNF therapy; these patients were white, female, and non-smokers. The mean age of LCV diagnosis was 32.2 years, and the mean IBD duration was 7.2 years. The mean time between the start of biologic therapy and LCV onset was 30.8 months. Most of the patients were using adalimumab (80%; n = 4). All the patients were in remission at the time of the LCV diagnosis, and the vasculitis affected the skin in all cases. Anti-TNF therapy was discontinued in the five abovementioned patients, and the response of LCV to the oral steroids was significantly positive. Remarkably, all five patients experienced complete remission from LCV within 4-12 weeks after starting prednisone therapy, and none of them had LCV recurrence in the follow-up period (a mean duration of 28 months).
CONCLUSIONS
LCV is an unusual complication of anti-TNF therapy in the IBD setting. In this context, clinicians should have a high degree of suspicion of LCV in patients who develop an unexplained cutaneous rash.
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