Targeting type I interferon in lupus panniculitis: a case-based systematic literature review

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Rheumatology
• Immunology

Background:

• Lupus panniculitis (LEP) is a rare, severe cutaneous lupus (CLE) form with poor treatment outcomes.
• Anifrolumab (ANF), a Type I interferon inhibitor, is effective for CLE but its role in LEP is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of anifrolumab (ANF) in patients with biopsy-proven lupus panniculitis (LEP).
• To assess ANF's potential as a first-line treatment for LEP to mitigate disease-related damage.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 16 patients with LEP treated with ANF, including demographics, clinical features, and concomitant therapies.
• Disease activity and damage assessed using SLEDAI-2K, CLASI-A, and SLICC/ACR damage index.
• Data compared with existing cases from a systematic literature review.

Main Results:

• All 16 patients demonstrated a good response to ANF treatment.
• Significant reduction in CLASI-A scores from 11.5 (7-29) to 0 (0-2) (p=0.005).
• Most patients tapered or discontinued corticosteroids; response occurred within five months with no significant adverse events.

Conclusions:

• Anifrolumab (ANF) appears effective for treating lupus panniculitis (LEP), improving disease activity and enabling corticosteroid reduction.
• ANF may serve as a viable first-line therapy for LEP, potentially preventing long-term damage.