PURPOSE: To assess the outcome of patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) treated with sulfasalazine as an alternative to dapsone. DESIGN: Retrospective noncomparative case series. PARTICIPANTS: Nine patients with biopsy-proven OCP and previous dapsone-related adverse effects (hemolysis and gastrointestinal disturbances) treated with oral sulfasalazine. METHODS: Clinical data were abstracted from patients' medical records. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients' symptoms, ocular inflammation, conjunctival scarring, complete blood cell count (including reticulocyte count). RESULTS: At the initiation of sulfasalazine therapy, ocular inflammation was controlled in all patients but one. Mean follow-up was 12 months (range, 2-35 months). Median oral sulfasalazine dosage was 3 g (range, 1-4 g). The disease remained controlled with sulfasalazine alone in four patients (45%). Two patients (22%) required adjunctive oral cyclophosphamide. Adverse effects necessitating drug withdrawal occurred in three patients (33%): hemolysis in two and gastrointestinal disturbances in one. CONCLUSIONS: Sulfasalazine may be useful in OCP patients with previous dapsone-related adverse effects.
PURPOSE: To assess the outcome of patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) treated with sulfasalazine as an alternative to dapsone. DESIGN: Retrospective noncomparative case series. PARTICIPANTS: Nine patients with biopsy-proven OCP and previous dapsone-related adverse effects (hemolysis and gastrointestinal disturbances) treated with oral sulfasalazine. METHODS: Clinical data were abstracted from patients' medical records. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients' symptoms, ocular inflammation, conjunctival scarring, complete blood cell count (including reticulocyte count). RESULTS: At the initiation of sulfasalazine therapy, ocular inflammation was controlled in all patients but one. Mean follow-up was 12 months (range, 2-35 months). Median oral sulfasalazine dosage was 3 g (range, 1-4 g). The disease remained controlled with sulfasalazine alone in four patients (45%). Two patients (22%) required adjunctive oral cyclophosphamide. Adverse effects necessitating drug withdrawal occurred in three patients (33%): hemolysis in two and gastrointestinal disturbances in one. CONCLUSIONS:Sulfasalazine may be useful in OCP patients with previous dapsone-related adverse effects.
Authors: E Schmidt; H Rashid; A V Marzano; A Lamberts; G Di Zenzo; G F H Diercks; S Alberti-Violetti; R J Barry; L Borradori; M Caproni; B Carey; M Carrozzo; G Cianchini; A Corrà; F G Dikkers; C Feliciani; G Geerling; G Genovese; M Hertl; P Joly; J M Meijer; V Mercadante; D F Murrell; M Ormond; H H Pas; A Patsatsi; S Rauz; B D van Rhijn; M Roth; J Setterfield; D Zillikens; G Zambruno; B Horváth; F Caux Journal: J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol Date: 2021-07-26 Impact factor: 6.166