Objective: The use of infliximab in rheumatoid and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has been associated with a variety of adverse skin reactions, including paradoxical psoriatic lesions. The prevalence and possible predictors for these lesions were under observation in our cross-sectional prospective study.
Material and methods: Nurses screened the skin of 118 adult patients with IBD during infliximab infusions between 4 September 2013 and 30 September 2014 based on the structured questionnaire. Data on skin manifestations, concomitant medications, extraintestinal manifestations and inflammatory markers were collected for analysis.
Results: Non-infectious skin manifestations were observed in 27 (22.9%) patients during the study period, of which eight (29.6%) were new-onset, eight (29.6%) were exacerbations of existing lesions and 11 (40.7%) were baseline lesions that did not worsen during the study. Scaling eczema was the most commonly described skin manifestation (n = 8; 29.6%), followed by exacerbated atopic eczema (n = 5; 18.5%) and plausible infliximab-induced psoriasiform lesions (n = 5; 18.5%). The strongest associating factor for skin manifestations was Crohn's disease, in nearly 80% of afflicted patients.
Conclusions: Anti-TNF-α therapy is frequently associated with newly onset skin reactions, most commonly in patients with Crohn's disease. Non-infectious skin manifestations can be treated topically and do not require cessation of anti-TNF-α therapy.
Keywords: Crohn’s disease; drug eruption; psoriasis; tumour necrosis factor-alpha; ulcerative colitis.