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Changes in skin barrier during treatment with systemic alitretinoin: focus on skin susceptibility and stratum corneum ceramides

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Abstract

Alitretinoin is a new drug for systemic treatment of chronic hand eczema. Previous functional tests of skin topically treated with retinoids have indicated impaired skin barrier function, but no data are available on barrier parameters after systemic alitretinoin treatment. To investigate the effect of systemic alitretinoin on skin barrier function and response to irritants, a secondary objective was to determine if changes occur in the lipid profile of stratum corneum after treatment with systemic alitretinoin. We conducted an open clinical intervention study on eight people ascribed to systemic alitretinoin treatment. The criteria for being ascribed to alitretinoin were chronic hand eczema and insufficient therapeutic response to potent topical corticosteroids. Before initiation and after 2 months of systemic treatment with 30 mg alitretinoin, a challenge with sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) was performed on the volar forearm and evaluated by trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), erythema, and a cyanoacrylate skin sample was obtained for lipid analysis. We found no significant changes in response to SLS irritation as evaluated by TEWL and erythema, after treatment with alitretinoin for 2 months. No significant changes in stratum corneum lipids were found after 2 months of treatment. In conclusion, systemic alitretinoin does not influence skin susceptibility to irritants or the ceramide profile of stratum corneum.

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Acknowledgments

The study was made possible by a grant from Basilea A/S. The sponsor had no role in the design and conduct of the study, or approval of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest statement

Agner T has served on the Scientific Advisory Board for Basilea Pharmaceuticals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Copenhagen, Roskilde Hospital, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Jakob Mutanu Jungersted & Gregor B. E. Jemec

  2. Department of System Biology and Centre for Advanced Food Science, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Lyngby, Denmark

    Julie K. Høgh & Lars I. Hellgren

  3. Department of Dermatology, University of Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Hospital, 2400, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jakob Mutanu Jungersted & Tove Agner

Authors
  1. Jakob Mutanu Jungersted
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  2. Julie K. Høgh
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  3. Lars I. Hellgren
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  4. Gregor B. E. Jemec
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  5. Tove Agner
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Correspondence to Jakob Mutanu Jungersted.

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Jungersted, J.M., Høgh, J.K., Hellgren, L.I. et al. Changes in skin barrier during treatment with systemic alitretinoin: focus on skin susceptibility and stratum corneum ceramides. Arch Dermatol Res 302, 653–656 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-010-1057-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-010-1057-0

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