Drug‐induced psoriasiform alopecia associated with interleukin‐17 inhibitor therapy. (12th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tan, Timothy L.; Taglia, Lauren; Yazdan, Pedram
• Is Part Of: Journal of cutaneous pathology. Volume 48:Number 6(2021)
• Page Start: 771
• Page End: 774
• Publication Date: 2021-01-12
• Subjects: alopecia -- drug reaction -- drug‐induced psoriasiform alopecia -- IL‐17 -- psoriasis; Skin -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Dermatology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1111/cup.13952
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0303-6987

Abstract

Abstract: Drug‐induced psoriasiform alopecia is an increasingly recognized form of alopecia mostly reported in association with TNF‐alpha inhibitors. However, drug‐induced psoriasiform alopecia in association with IL‐17A inhibitors has not been described. We present a 62‐year‐old woman with severe psoriasis who developed new psoriatic plaques on the scalp with alopecia after initiating ixekizumab (anti‐IL‐17A). Scalp biopsy specimens revealed a non‐cicatricial alopecia with increased telogen/catagen follicles, atrophy of the sebaceous glands, peribulbar and perifollicular inflammation with frequent lymphocytes, plasma cells, eosinophils, psoriasiform dermatitis, and lack of intra‐corneal or intra‐epidermal neutrophils. Overall, the clinical and histopathologic findings were most compatible with a drug‐induced psoriasiform alopecia in association with IL‐17A inhibitor therapy. Our case shows that drug‐induced psoriasiform alopecia can paradoxically occur in patients on IL‐17A inhibitor therapy and contributes to the growing list of cutaneous eruptions associated with biologic agents.