Ruxolitinib may be an alternative to systemic immunosuppressives
Asked to comment on the results, Amy J. McMichael, MD, professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C., called itch “one of the major life disruptors in atopic dermatitis.”
Providers often assume that patients of different races respond similarly to treatment, but that is not always true, she noted in an email.
“This study proves ruxolitinib’s effectiveness in Black patients, who often have more severe atopic dermatitis signs and symptoms,” said Dr. McMichael, who was not involved in the study. “The fact that atopic dermatitis in patients of color has been singled out to examine efficacy is a great way to show that the findings are not just in those who have thinner plaques and potentially less longstanding thickening of the skin from scratching (lichenification),” she added.
Dr. McMichael welcomed the lack of systemic side effects and quick relief of itch with this treatment, noting that the effect on itch “is rare with other treatments and extremely rare with other topical medications.”
The effect of topical ruxolitinib on pruritus “was interesting and surprising because very few available topical medications can control itch,” she explained. “The strongest topical steroids can help with pruritus, but they have the risk for skin thinning (atrophy),” while topical ruxolitinib is not associated with skin atrophy.
“After topical steroids fail as first-line treatment, it is likely that more patients will be given this topical medication rather than be moved to immunosuppressive systemic medications,” she noted.
All study authors report relevant relationships with Incyte Corporation, which manufactures ruxolitinib and funded the study, and several authors report employment and shareholding interests in the company. Dr. McMichael reports no relevant relationship with the study.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.