title: Hidradenitis suppurativa responding to treatment with infliximab.
abstract: A series of four cases of severe recalcitrant hidradenitis suppurativa treated with infliximab is presented. All patients had failed to respond to prior medical and surgical management. Baseline Quantiferon-TB Gold and chest radiograph were carried out before commencement of treatment. No patients had associated Crohn's disease. All patients received induction infusions of infliximab 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2 and 6, followed by eight weekly maintenance infusions. The total number of infusions varied between 4 and 6. Skin photography with Sartorius scoring was used to evaluate response to treatment. All patients experienced marked improvement in their disease activity, with a mean 48% improvement in Sartorius score after one infusion (week 2, P < 0.01), and 70% improvement after three infusions (week 14, P < 0.01). Time to relapse following cessation of therapy ranged from 6 weeks to 4 months. Further studies examining the efficacy of infliximab and its effect on the course of the disease, particularly relating to long-term management, are required.
authors.affiliation: Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lasocki
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saunders
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D017497:Hidradenitis Suppurativa / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D000069285:Infliximab