Abstract
Aim: Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare, fibrosing disorder of skin and subcutaneous tissue. This study was undertaken to describe its clinical and laboratory features and identify prognostic factors associated with outcome. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all EF patients evaluated at our institution from 1 January1997 to 30 December 2016. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to determine treatment response rates over time. Potential associations between baseline characteristics and complete response were examined using Cox models adjusted for age and sex. Time-dependent covariates were used to examine treatment effects. Results: We identified 89 EF patients, with a female-to-male ratio of 1:1. Clinical features included groove sign in 26 (29%), peau d'orange/dimpling in 22 (25%), inflammatory arthritis in 9 (10%) and muscle weakness in 9 (10%). Aldolase was elevated in 11/36 (31%). Complete response rate was 60% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 35-75) at 3 years. Diagnostic delay was inversely associated with treatment response (hazards ratio: 0.84 per 1 month increase; 95% CI: 0.73-0.98). No baseline characteristics correlated with treatment response, but a trend toward positive association of elevated aldolase, hypergammaglobulinemia and presence of hematologic disorders was noted. Methotrexate was the most commonly used immunosuppressant in 79%, hydroxychloroquine in 45%, mycophenolate mofetil in 18% and azathioprine in 8%. No single immunosuppressant agent was associated with a superior response during treatment. Conclusions: EF is characterized by relatively high response rates. Consensus diagnostic criteria, standardized management algorithms, and large prospective multi-center cohorts are needed to develop an evidence-directed approach to this challenging condition.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 233-239 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1 2020 |
Keywords
- eosinophilia
- eosinophilic fasciitis
- sclerosing disorder
- thickened skin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Rheumatology