Apheresis in the treatment of recalcitrant atopic dermatitis: case series and review of the literature

Abstract

Background: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic disabling inflammatory skin disorder, typically characterized by intensely itching, oozing, crusted, eroded vesicles or papules developing on erythematous plaques. Conventional treatments, both topical and systemic, may produce unsuccessful and unsatisfactory results.

Objectives: we aimed to assess the efficacy of apheretic treatments in patients with severe, recalcitrant AD, in particular, the pruritic component.

Patients and methods: four patients affected by recalcitrant and debilitating atopic dermatitis, who had previously received conventional topical and systemic therapies with poor clinical improvement, were treated with extracorporeal photopheresis or therapeutic plasma exchange.

Results: a satisfactory response to apheresis was observed with a reduction of pruritus and skin lesions.

Conclusion: In our experience, apheretic therapies might be used as monotherapy but, more effectively, in combination with topical and/or systemic treatments. Indeed, they proved to be a safe "enhancer" for increasing the efficacy of conventional therapeutics.

Keywords: atopic dermatitis; extracorporeal photopheresis; therapeutic plasma exchange.