Is There a Role for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa on Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibitors?

Am J Clin Dermatol. 2021 Mar;22(2):139-147. doi: 10.1007/s40257-020-00579-z.

Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors, adalimumab and infliximab, are at the forefront of biologic therapy for the management of moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa, with adalimumab as currently the only approved medication for this condition. In treating patients, primary or secondary lack of response (also termed suboptimal response) is a major burden for both patients and healthcare systems and is a challenge with biologics in part owing to the development of anti-drug antibodies following treatment. To overcome this, therapeutic drug monitoring may be conducted proactively or reactively to a patient's suboptimal response guided by measurements of trough serum drug concentrations and levels of anti-drug antibodies. While strong evidence to support the utility of therapeutic drug monitoring exists in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, current information is limited in the context of hidradenitis suppurativa. We sought to summarize the available evidence and to present the role of therapeutic drug monitoring and other dose optimization strategies in improving clinical response in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa treated with tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors.

MeSH terms

  • Adalimumab / administration & dosage
  • Adalimumab / pharmacokinetics
  • Biological Factors / administration & dosage
  • Biological Factors / pharmacokinetics*
  • Crohn Disease / blood
  • Crohn Disease / drug therapy
  • Drug Monitoring*
  • Hidradenitis Suppurativa / blood
  • Hidradenitis Suppurativa / drug therapy*
  • Hidradenitis Suppurativa / immunology
  • Humans
  • Infliximab / administration & dosage
  • Infliximab / pharmacokinetics
  • Psoriasis / blood
  • Psoriasis / drug therapy
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Biological Factors
  • TNF protein, human
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Infliximab
  • Adalimumab