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Updated: Jan 5, 2026
Skin Biopsy for Diagnosing Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
Published on: June 10, 2025
Dermatological complications of therapy with biologics in inflammatory autoimmune diseases
Wiebke Sondermann1, Saskia Herz1, Elsa Sody1
1Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
Background And Objective:
Cutaneous adverse events (CAEs) occur in up to 10 % of patients with immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) treated with antitumor necrosis factor (TNF)α agents. The aim of this clinical study was to track and observe the course of CAEs in all biologic therapies.
Patients And Methods:
The population for this study consisted of patients with CAEs under biologic therapy who were examined by experienced board-certified dermatologists in the outpatient department of the University Hospital Essen, Department of Dermatology.
Results:
Altogether 39 patients with a total of 45 CAEs were included in this study. In 60 % of the cases a form of paradoxical psoriasis was diagnosed. Two thirds (66.6 %) of the patients with CAEs were diagnosed with an underlying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). TNFα antagonists were the triggering agents in about 95 % of the cases. Changes in biological therapy were required in nearly half of the cases (46.2 %). Almost 90 % of the patients had either a complete (42.1 %) or a partial response (47 %).
Conclusions:
Management of CEAs under biological therapy can be challenging in clinical practice. Case discussions between gastroenterologists, rheumatologists and dermatologists should be undertaken to best manage patients with CAEs and avoid unnecessary changes of therapy.
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