A recent retrospective cohort study revealed that dupilumab was successful in treating bullous pemphigoid (BP).
The study, which was conducted from Jan. 1, 2021, to Jul. 31, 2022, included 146 patients and was performed in six dermatology departments of the National Autoimmune Bullous Diseases Cooperative Group of China.
Patients were given an initial dose of 600 mg of dupilumab, which was then followed by a 300 mg dose every two weeks. In order to be included in the study, patients had to have at least 4 weeks of follow-up after the initial dose.
The primary outcome measure was the proportion of participants who achieved disease control within four weeks. This was defined as the absence of new lesions and pruritus along with the healing of existing lesions. Researchers also assessed complete remission rates, relapse rates, adverse events (AEs), changes in Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Area Index (BPDAI) scores, itching numerical rating scale (NRS) scores, and laboratory results.
After the initial four weeks of treatment with dupilumab, 87% of patients achieved disease control, 74.7% of which occurred within two weeks. A total of 35.6% of patients achieved complete remission and 8.9% relapsed during the observation period. The complete remission rate and cumulative relapse rate at 64 weeks were 62.5% and 30.9%, respectively.
Of the 146 patients, 73.3% did not report any AEs. The most common AEs were infections and eosinophilia.
Researchers concluded that “dupilumab treatment was associated with improved clinical symptoms in patients with BP”.
Sources:
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2808114?guestAccessKey=c146147a-bebf-4650-8abf-d4b032786b54&utm_source=silverchair&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=article_alert-jamadermatology&utm_content=olf&utm_term=080223
- https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/dupilumab-successfully-treated-bullous-pemphigoid-in-retrospective-study
