Background: Chronic pruritus is defined as itch lasting for greater than six weeks. Pruritus is a burdensome manifestation of several internal and external disease states with a significant impact on quality of life. Dupilumab has shown promise in treating a number of conditions including atopic dermatitis (AD) and asthma. Its success in reducing pruritus in AD has generated interest regarding its potential application in other pruritic conditions, such as chronic pruritus of unknown origin, uremic pruritus, and pruigo nodularis.
Methods: In this retrospective analysis, we present a series of 20 recalcitrant pruritus patients seen at a tertiary center treated with off-label dupilumab at standard AD dosing.
Results: Dupilumab was successful at reducing itch in all treated patients, leading to complete resolution in 12/20 patients and an overall mean NRSi reduction of 7.55. Dupilumab was well tolerated with no significant adverse effects.
Conclusions: Our case series suggests dupilumab may be a safe and efficacious therapeutic option in several pruritic conditions and demonstrates the need for further studies to better ascertain its place in the pruritus treatment armamentarium.
Keywords: IL-13; IL-4; chronic pruritus; chronic pruritus of unknown origin; dupilumab; eosinophilic dermatosis of hematologic malignancy; lichen planus; prurigo nodularis; pruritus; uremic pruritus.