Prurigo Nodularis: An Update for Clinicians, Part 2
Treatments for prurigo nodularis (PN) have had some success and are primarily targeted at reducing itch in an effort to reduce lesions. Oftentimes these treatment modalities are combined with adjuvant therapy—frequently antihistamines—to maximize the anti-pruritic effect.
With limited disease, topical and intralesional corticosteroids are considered first-line therapy. While the evidence for steroidal benefit is relatively sparse, a randomized control trial of 12 patients found that patients treated with betamethasone 0.1% under occlusion (as a tape) for four weeks had a statistically significant decrease in itch as compared to patients treated with an over-the-counter anti-itch cream containing feverfew.1 Interestingly, calcipotriol therapy may be superior to treatment with topical steroids. In a trial of patients with bilateral disease, calcipotriol applied to one leg was noted to decrease lesion count and size to a greater extent than betamethasone 0.1% applied to the fellow leg.2 Supporting this, in cases of steroid-resistant PN, there is evidence of topical vitamin D efficacy.3
Calcineurin inhibitors have also been used as an alternative topical treatment. In a study of 20 patients treated with tacrolimus or pimecrolimus, patients reported an average 53 percent reduction in itch after an average of 7.3 months of therapy. Notably, these drugs may have inadequate skin penetration, as they were found to have a limited effect on large lesions.4
Topical capsaicin can be of further consideration and studies have shown its efficacy in reducing itch and resolving skin lesions.5,6 Unfortunately, the efficacy of this topical is dependent on application four to six times daily, and patient adherence should be considered.
Generalized or Recalcitrant Disease
For patients with generalized or recalcitrant disease, phototherapy and systemic medication may be of benefit. The success of phototherapy has been attributed to a reduction of calcitonin gene-related peptide positive nerve fibers in both the epidermis and the dermis, which are thought to contribute to pruritus and inflammation, respectively.7 Currently, research on the efficacy of different phototherapy modalities with respect to one another is lacking, however, PUVA, narrow-band UVB (NB-UVB), broad-band UVB (BB-UVB), and excimer laser have been shown to reduce pruritus and improve the appearance of lesions.8 There is some evidence of the efficacy of combined phototherapy. In a study by Hammes et al, patients were randomized to PUVA or PUVA in combination with excimer laser. While there was no statistical difference in the number of subjects achieving complete or partial PN remission in each group, subjects receiving combination therapy required 30 percent less PUVA radiation.9 This is beneficial in that reduction of PUVA may lower the risk of long-term side effects of PUVA therapy, including squamous cell carcinoma.10
While phototherapy is efficacious in many patients with PN, an important limitation is the necessity of in-office treatment, and systemic medication may be a more practical treatment option for some patients. Thalidomide, lenalidomide, cyclosporine, and methotrexate are systemic therapies that have been shown to improve pruritus and the appearance of PN lesions. In a review of 106 patients with PN treated with thalidomide or lenalidomide, with most treated for less than a year, 76 (71.7 percent) were found to have significant improvement as determined by a marked reduction in pruritus and nodules.11 Unfortunately, the use of this category of medication is limited due to the development of peripheral neuropathy in 36.8 percent of treated patients.12 Lenalidomide may be preferred to thalidomide, as its different molecular structure may confer a reduced risk. Alternatively, a lower dose of thalidomide may be considered, as this has been shown to improve the safety profile while maintaining effective treatment.13
Cyclosporine is a calcineurin inhibitor that suppresses the release of cytokines from T-cells.14 This medication may exhibit its effects by down regulating IL-31, a cytokine linked to pruritus and known to be highly expressed in PN lesions.15 In a case series of 14 patients with refractory PN, 13 patients had a good clinical response with a 40 percent or greater reduction in pruritus, and 10 patients had rapid improvement of their skin lesions.16 Unfortunately, half of the patients experienced side effects, including hypertension, creatinine elevation, and gingival hyperplasia. Because of this medication’s narrow therapeutic index, it is necessary to monitor renal and hepatic function as well as blood counts in patients taking the drug.
Methotrexate, a folate antagonist, has been shown to improve PN lesions, likely due to suppression of cytokines. In a study of 13 patients treated with lose dose methotrexate, 10 patients were found to have a greater than 50 percent reduction in the number of excoriated nodules after therapy.17 While one patient in the cohort experienced elevated liver enzymes, leading to temporary discontinuation of methotrexate, the medication was otherwise well tolerated. A more recent study of methotrexate in 39 patients with refractory PN noted similar efficacy and found that a majority of patients had complete remission following six and 12 months of therapy.18
The Pipeline
New medications are in the pipeline for treating PN. A recent phase II trial of serlopitant, an antagonist of neurokinin receptor 1 (NK1R), randomized 257 patients with chronic pruritus to treatment with three different strengths of medication or placebo. Patients treated with serlopitant had significantly reduced pruritus as compared to placebo after six weeks of treatment.19 Patients treated with the 5mg dose had the greatest improvement in pruritus with 53 percent of patients having a 4cm decrease in the visual analogue scale for itch as compared to only 26 percent of patients treated with placebo. The efficacy of this medication is attributed to the disruption of substance P binding to cutaneous NK1, a pathway that was been shown to induce itch.20 A recent study further supported the efficacy of serlopitant in PN and found that the medication significantly decreased itch severity as compared to placebo (p<0.05). (Abstract “Serlopitant May Stop the Itch of Prurigo Nodularis” Stander). Serlopitant has generally been well tolerated with nasopharyngitis, diarrhea, and fatigue as the most commonly reported adverse events.
Cannabinoids may also treat PN by reducing pruritus. Vast numbers of cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 are known to be located on cutaneous nerve fibers.21 N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA), an endogenous neurotransmitter, binds these receptors and has been shown to relieve pruritus. In an observational study of 13 patients with PN treated with topical PEA, nine patients had improvement in pruritus and 11 had an improvement in their skin status after an average of 2.6 months of therapy.22 Notably, three of these patients had complete healing of their skin without pruritus following treatment.
Future studies are needed to assess the efficacy of cytokine modulation to treat PN. Nemolizumab and dupilumab, respective inhibitors of IL-31 and IL-4/13, have been effective in reducing pruritius in patients with atopic dermatitis23-25 and similar symptomatic reduction has been demonstrated with baricitinib and tofacitinib, two Janus kinase inhibitors.26,27 Currently, there is no clinical data for PN, though the prospect of itch reduction is promising. Moreover, if PN truly is a variant of atopic dermatitis, or even just closely related, the promising pipeline of atopic dermatitis therapies may be applicable to this rarer disease.
More Hope Than Ever
While the underlying cause of PN remains incompletely understood, with new understanding of itch mechanisms, the immune system, and the pathophysiology of the closely-related atopic dermatitis, there is more hope than ever for treating and unraveling the mysteries of the pathogenesis of PN.
Disclosure: Dr. Lio has served as a consultant and speaker for Regeneron/Sanofi-Genzyme, an advisor for Menlo Therapeutics, a consultant for AbbVie, and a consultant for Franklin BioScience. Ms. Treister has no relevant disclosures.
1. Saraceno R, Chiricozzi A, Nisticò SP, Tiberti S, Chimenti S. An occlusive dressing containing betamethasone valerate 0.1% for the treatment of prurigo nodularis. Journal of Dermatological Treatment 2010;21:363-6.
2. Wong S-S, Goh CL. Double-blind, right/left comparison of calcipotriol ointment and betamethasone ointment in the treatment of prurigo nodularis. Archives of Dermatology 2000;136:807-8.
3. Katayama I, Miyazaki Y, NISHIKA K. Topical vitamin D3 (tacalcitol) for steroid-resistant prurigo. British Journal of Dermatology 1996;135:237-40.
4. Ständer S, Schürmeyer-Horst F, Luger TA, Weisshaar E. Treatment of pruritic diseases with topical calcineurin inhibitors. Therapeutics and clinical risk management 2006;2:213.
5. Ständer S, Luger T, Metze D. Treatment of prurigo nodularis with topical capsaicin. JADD. 2001;44:471-8.
6. Tupker R, Coenraads P. Treatment of prurigo nodularis, chronic prurigo and neurodermatitis circumscripta with topical capsaicin. Acta dermato-venereologica 1992;72:463-.
7. Wallengren J, Sundler F. Phototherapy reduces the number of epidermal and CGRP-positive dermal nerve fibres. Acta dermato-venereologica 2004;84.
8. Nakamura M, Koo JY. Phototherapy for the treatment of prurigo nodularis: a review. Dermatology online journal 2016;22.
9. Hammes S, Hermann J, Roos S, Ockenfels H. UVB 308‐nm excimer light and bath PUVA: combination therapy is very effective in the treatment of prurigo nodularis. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 2011;25:799-803.
10. Stern RS, Laird N, Melski J, Parrish JA, Fitzpatrick TB, Bleich HL. Cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma in patients treated with PUVA. NEJM 1984;310:1156-61.
11. Lim VM, Maranda EL, Patel V, Simmons BJ, Jimenez JJ. A Review of the Efficacy of Thalidomide and Lenalidomide in the Treatment of Refractory Prurigo Nodularis. Dermatology and Therapy 2016;6:397-411.
12. LAN CCE, LIN CL, WU CS, CHAI CY, CHEN WT, CHEN GS. Treatment of idiopathic prurigo nodularis in Taiwanese patients with low-dose thalidomide. The Journal of Dermatology 2007;34:237-42.
13. Pereira MP, Ständer S. Chronic pruritus: current and emerging treatment options. Drugs 2017;77:999-1007.
14. Sonkoly E, Muller A, Lauerma AI, et al. IL-31: a new link between T cells and pruritus in atopic skin inflammation. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2006;117:411-7.
15. Siepmann D, Luger TA, Ständer S. Antipruritic effect of cyclosporine microemulsion in prurigo nodularis: results of a case series. JDDG: Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft 2008;6:941-5.
16. Spring P, Gschwind I, Gilliet M. Prurigo nodularis: retrospective study of 13 cases managed with methotrexate. Clinical and experimental dermatology 2014;39:468-73.
17. Klejtman T, Beylot‐Barry M, Joly P, et al. Treatment of prurigo with methotrexate: a multicentre retrospective study of 39 cases. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 2017.
18. Yosipovitch G, Ständer S, Kerby MB, et al. Serlopitant for the treatment of chronic pruritus: results of a randomized, multicenter, placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial. JADD. 2018.
19. Andoh T, Nagasawa T, Satoh M, Kuraishi Y. Substance P induction of itch-associated response mediated by cutaneous NK1 tachykinin receptors in mice. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1998;286:1140-5.
20. Ständer S, Schmelz M, Metze D, Luger T, Rukwied R. Distribution of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and 2 (CB2) on sensory nerve fibers and adnexal structures in human skin. Journal of Dermatological Science 2005;38:177-88.
21. Ständer S, Reinhardt H, Luger T. Topische Cannabinoidagonisten. Der Hautarzt 2006;57:801-7.
22. Ruzicka T, Hanifin JM, Furue M, et al. Anti–interleukin-31 receptor a antibody for atopic dermatitis. NEJM 2017;376:826-35.
23. Simpson EL, Bieber T, Guttman-Yassky E, et al. Two phase 3 trials of dupilumab versus placebo in atopic dermatitis. NEJM 2016;375:2335-48.
24. Blauvelt A, de Bruin-Weller M, Gooderham M, et al. Long-term management of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis with dupilumab and concomitant topical corticosteroids (LIBERTY AD CHRONOS): a 1-year, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. The Lancet 2017;389:2287-303.
25. Guttman-Yassky E, Silverberg JI, Nemoto O, et al. Baricitinib in adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a phase 2 parallel, double-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled multiple-dose study. JADD 2018.
26. Bissonnette R, Papp K, Poulin Y, et al. Topical tofacitinib for atopic dermatitis: a phase IIa randomized trial. British Journal of Dermatology 2016;175:902-11.
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