Treatment of recalcitrant cicatricial pemphigoid with the tumor necrosis factor alpha antagonist etanercept.
The treatment of cicatricial pemphigoid is generally regarded as difficult and usually relies on individual clinical experience. Corticosteroids, as drugs of first choice, often have to be combined with steroid-sparing agents to prevent hazardous, long-term side effects. We describe a 72-year-old woman with long-standing cicatricial pemphigoid recalcitrant to established treatment regimens who responded rapidly and lastingly to therapy with the tumor necrosis factor alpha antagonist etanercept. To our knowledge, this is the first report of its use in the treatment of a bullous autoimmune disease.
Sacher
Christopher
C
Department of Dermatology, University of Cologne, Germany.
Rubbert
Andrea
A
König
Cathrin
C
Scharffetter-Kochanek
Karin
K
Krieg
Thomas
T
Hunzelmann
Nicolas
N
D000368:Aged; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010390:Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055502:Secondary Prevention
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000068800:Etanercept