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A role for b-cell-depleting agents in treating psoriatic skin lesions induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists: A case report and literature review

Ancuta Codrina Mihaela (University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, Iasi Romania + Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital, Iasi, Romania)
Chiriac Anca (CMI Dermatology, Iasi, Romania)
Miu Smaranda (University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, Iasi Romania)
Ancuta Eugen (“Elena Doamna” Clinical Hospital, Iasi, Romania)

Despite recent advances in understanding the pathological pathways, clinical pattern and management opportunities for new-onset psoriasis as a paradoxical adverse event in patients receiving TNF inhibitors for their immune-mediated disorder, there is a subset of patients who are either partial responders or non-responders, whatever the therapeutic scenario. We present the case of new-onset psoriasis and severe alopecia development in a case study of long-standing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with adalimumab (ADA) and leflunomide. Since skin lesions and alopecia are resistant to the classic protocol (topical treatment, ADA discontinuation) and RA becomes highly active, rituximab (RTX) was started. Dramatic improvement in joint disease, total remission of alopecia and partial remission of pustular psoriasis were described after the first RTX cycle. Although B-cell-depleting agents result in controversial effects on psoriatic skin lesions, this is the first case of ADA-induced psoriasis and alopecia that improved under RTX, suggesting a possible role in treating such a patient population.

Keywords: new-onset psoriasis, TNF-α antagonists, rituximab, adalimumab