A case report of a 9-year old boy with polyarteritis nodosa in which a combination therapy of corticosteroids and a photosensitive dye Platonin was effective

Abstract

Polyarteritis nodosa (PN), characterized by vasculitis of medium and small sized arteries, is uncommon in children. This disease is thought to be concerned with some abnormal immune responses. Platonin (4,4′-dimethyl-3,3′-di-n-heptyl-8-[2-(4-methyl-3-n-heptylthiazole)]-2,2′-dicar bocyanine diiodine) is one of the photosensitive dyes of trithiazole pentamethine cyanine. It has been reported that platonin stimulated suppresser/cytotoxic T cells, but suppressed B cells. In clinical observations, platonin is shown to be efficacious for rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, a Japanese boy (9-year-old) with PN was given platonin in combination with prednisolone. Prednisolone was gradually tapered under a cover of platonin. As a result, the relapse has not been exhibited for a long time (72 months). There were no adverse side effects during long term administration of medication.