Optimal Itch Response in Adults Treated with Dupilumab for Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis

Itch control is an important treatment goal for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). According to the treat-to-target framework, optimal treatment goals in AD were defined for various disease domains (e.g., achievement of Eczema Area and Severity Index [EASI] ≤ 7, Peak Pruritus Numeric Rating Scale [PP-NRS] ≤ 4, and Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI] ≤ 5) to be achieved after 6 months and sustained thereafter.

In this post hoc analysis of LIBERTY AD CHRONOS (NCT02260986), we report the proportion of patients achieving an optimal itch response with or without an optimal response in signs (EASI ≤ 7) and quality of life (DLQI ≤ 5), after 24 and 52 weeks of treatment with dupilumab.

The majority of patients (69 of 90; 76.7%) had an optimal itch response at week 24 as measured by treat-to-target goal PP-NRS ≤ 4; this proportion was sustained at week 52 (64 of 79; 81.0%). Using SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) Pruritus Visual Analog Scale (VAS) < 4 as validation, the majority of patients (76/89; 85.4%) had an optimal itch response at week 24, and this proportion was also sustained at week 52 (69 of 79; 87.3%). Around 70% of patients with an optimal itch response according to PP-NRS or SCORAD Pruritus VAS also had optimal response in EASI and DLQI at weeks 24 and 52.

Dupilumab provided optimal itch response and further optimal treatment response in signs and quality of life at week 24, sustained up to 52 weeks, in the majority of patients. Graphical Abstract available for this article.

NCT02260986.