Consecutive injections of low-dose interleukin-2 improve symptoms and disease control in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria

Jiaqi Wang; Liting He; Wanyu Yi; Qing Liang; Li Jiang; Yixin Tan; Guiying Zhang; Yuwen Su; Rong Xiao; Qianjin Lu; Hai Long

doi:10.1016/j.clim.2023.109247

Consecutive injections of low-dose interleukin-2 improve symptoms and disease control in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria

Clin Immunol. 2023 Feb:247:109247. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109247. Epub 2023 Jan 29.

Authors

Jiaqi Wang¹, Liting He¹, Wanyu Yi², Qing Liang¹, Li Jiang¹, Yixin Tan¹, Guiying Zhang¹, Yuwen Su¹, Rong Xiao¹, Qianjin Lu³, Hai Long⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Hunan Clinical Medicine Research Center for Major Skin Diseases and Skin Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
² Department of Dermatology, Hunan Clinical Medicine Research Center for Major Skin Diseases and Skin Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.; Department of Dermatology, The First people's Hospital of Changde City, Changde, Hunan 415003, China.
³ Department of Dermatology, Hunan Clinical Medicine Research Center for Major Skin Diseases and Skin Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.; Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 12 Jiangwangmiao Street, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China. Electronic address: qianlu5860@pumcderm.cams.cn.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, Hunan Clinical Medicine Research Center for Major Skin Diseases and Skin Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.. Electronic address: dr.hailong@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36724835
DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109247

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the effectiveness and tolerability of low-dose interleukin (IL)-2 in treating patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) refractory to H₁-antihistamines.

Methods: This retrospective study included CSU patients who received treatment with at least one cycle of IL-2, injected intramuscularly at a dose of 1.0 million international units daily for 7 consecutive days, after failing treatment with H₁-antihistamines. Patients were followed up for ≥12 weeks.

Results: Of the 15 patients, 7 (46.7%) and 11 (73.3%) achieved complete response at Week 2 and Week 12, respectively. The mean change of urticaria control test (UCT) and weekly urticaria activity score (UAS7) from baseline was 6.6 (95% CI, 4.2 to 8.9) and - 16.9 (95% CI, -24.0 to -9.8), respectively, at Week 12. Local injection-site reactions were the most common adverse events. No serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusion: Low-dose IL-2 treatment improves symptoms and disease control for CSU patients refractory to H₁-antihistamines.

Keywords: Autoimmunity; Autologous serum skin test (ASST); Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU); Interleukin-2 (IL-2); Urticaria control test (UCT); Weekly urticaria activity score (UAS7).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Chronic Disease
Chronic Urticaria* / drug therapy
Histamine Antagonists / therapeutic use
Humans
Interleukin-2 / adverse effects
Retrospective Studies
Treatment Outcome
Urticaria* / diagnosis
Urticaria* / drug therapy

Substances

Interleukin-2
Histamine Antagonists