[Treatment by thalidomide of chronic multiforme erythema: its recurrent and continuous variants. A retrospective study of 26 patients].
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of thalidomide in the treatment of chronic erythema multiforme unresponsive to usual treatments.


METHODS
Twenty-six patients with chronic erythema multiforme were given thalidomide 100 mg/day after other treatments had failed, particularly acyclovir and prednisone.


RESULTS
Twenty patients had recurrent erythema multiforme and were given thalidomide at the beginning of an episode. The duration of the episodes was reduced by 11 days on the average. Six of the patients had subintrant erythema multiforme and were given continuous treatment. Lesions disappeared within 5 to 8 days and remission was maintained with low dose-treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The spectacular results obtained here should be verified in a controlled study.
Cherouati
K
K
Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Créteil.
Claudy
A
A
Souteyrand
P
P
Cambazard
F
F
Vaillant
L
L
Moulin
G
G
Crickx
B
B
Morel
P
P
Lamorelle
A
A
Revuz
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004892:Erythema Multiforme / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013792:Thalidomide
Traitement par thalidomide, de l'érythème polymorphe chronique formes récidivantes et subintrantes. Etude rétrospective de 26 malades.