February 11, 2019

After 16 weeks of treatment with dupilumab, the median SCORAD score decreased 55%.

After 16 weeks of dupilumab usage, patients with atopic dermatitis saw improvements in quality of life, pruritus, and sleep, according to a study published in The British Journal of Dermatology.

Researchers of this prospective, observational study evaluated the efficacy of dupilumab on atopic comorbidities, symptoms, and immunoglobulin E levels in a real-life practice setting. Patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis completed ophthalmologic and ear nose and throat examinations, respiratory tests, SCOring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) evaluations, visual analogue scales for sleep and pruritus, Investigator’s Global Assessment, Dermatology Life Quality Index, and immunoglobulin E concentration laboratory work.

Of the 19 patients included, 79% were men, and the mean age was 38 years old. Follow-up data were available for 18 patients. At baseline, 10 patients had >2 atopic comorbidities, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, or food allergy. All but 1 patient had above normal immunoglobulin E levels; 10 patients had abnormal ophthalmologic evaluations; and 15 patients had seasonal rhinitis, perennial rhinitis, or rhinosinusitis. The median SCORAD was 49, the median visual analogue scale for pruritus was 5, and the median visual analogue for sleep loss was 3.

After 16 weeks of treatment with dupilumab, the median SCORAD score decreased 55% (P <.001), the median visual analogue scale for pruritus decreased significantly, the median visual analogue for sleep loss decreased significantly, and there was a significant decrease in median total immunoglobulin E levels (P =.001). Ophthalmologic examinations showed a worsening of conjunctivitis in 5 of the 10 patients. Ear nose and throat examinations indicated 10 patients showed stability and 4 showed improvements, and no significant changes were found in asthma control.

Limitations of this study included small sample size, short-term follow-ups, and the observational nature of the study.

In conclusion, “[d]upilumab reduces global severity, pruritus, sleep loss and improves quality of life in [atopic dermatitis] in real-life clinical practice.”

Disclosure: One author declared affiliation with Sanofi-Regeneron.

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Reference

Tauber M, Apoil PA, Richet C, et al. Effect of dupilumab on atopic manifestations in patients treated for atopic dermatitis in real life practice [published online January 11, 2019]. Br J Dermatol. doi: 10.1111/bjd.17629