Dupilumab for the treatment of moderate and severe atopic dermatitis: real-life experience

Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2023 Dec;40(6):747-752. doi: 10.5114/ada.2023.133818. Epub 2024 Jan 8.

Abstract

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis is a relapsing, chronic, inflammatory dermatosis. So far, treatment options for more severe forms of the disease have been limited. The prospect has changed with the advent of biological drug registrations. Dupilumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting the a subunit of the IL-4 receptor and is responsible for blocking the signalling of interleukin (IL) 4 (IL-4) and IL-13. Clinical trials conducted for over 10 years have confirmed the efficacy and safety of dupilumab's treatment for atopic dermatitis.

Aim: Evaluating the efficacy of dupilumab treatment in patients with moderate and severe atopic dermatitis in real life.

Material and methods: We retrospectively evaluated medical records of patients treated with dupilumab for atopic dermatitis at the Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology in Gdansk.

Results: Ten patients in total were studied. They received dupilumab with standard dosing. The mean percentage reduction in SCORAD score was 52.16% in 8 weeks. Dupilumab was generally well tolerated and did not cause serious side effects. The most common adverse event was conjunctivitis.

Conclusions: Dupilumab is an effective disease-modifying drug for patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. The effects of treatment in real life are consistent with those demonstrated in clinical trials.

Keywords: atopic dermatitis; biological treatment; dupilumab.