Background: Relationships between pre-existing inflammatory diseases (pIDs) and cutaneous immune-related adverse events (cirAEs) have not been well-studied. This study is to investigate associations between pIDs and cirAEs among immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) recipients at the Mass General Brigham healthcare system.
Methods: Electronic health records were reviewed to ascertain cirAE status. Patients' pID status was determined using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. Cox proportional hazard, logistic regression, and linear regression models were performed.
Results: Among 3607 ICI recipients, 1354 had pIDs, and 672 developed cirAEs. After covariate adjustments, patients with cutaneous pIDs (HR:1.56, p<0.001) or both cutaneous and non-cutaneous pIDs (HR:1.76, p<0.001) had increased cirAE risk in contrast to patients with non-cutaneous pIDs alone (HR:1.01, p=0.9). In adjusted ordinal logistic regression modeling, cutaneous pIDs (OR:1.55, p<0.0001) and the presence of both cutaneous pIDs and non-cutaneous pIDs (OR:1.71, p=0.002) were associated with increased cirAE severity. The time to cirAE onset was different between the cutaneous pID group and the non-cutaneous pID group (Mean: 98 vs. 146 days, p=0.021; Beta: -0.11, p=0.033).
Conclusions: ICI recipients with cutaneous pIDs should have increased clinical monitoring due to their increased risk of cirAE development, severity, and earlier onset.