The successful use of etanercept in combination therapy for treatment of acrodermatitis continua of hallopeau.

Abstract

Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH) is a rare form of pustular psoriasis which poses a challenge to treat and causes considerable pain and suffering for those afflicted. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of ACH and other forms of psoriasis. Inhibition of TNF-alpha has been shown to provide benefit in such inflammatory conditions as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and, most recently, plaque psoriasis. In this report, we present the case of a 65-year-old man with a 9-year history of recalcitrant ACH who demonstrated significant and sustained clinical improvement when etanercept, a competitive inhibitor of TNF-alpha, was added to his treatment regimen of acitretin and topical corticosteroids over a 12-week period.