Thalidomide in 42 Patients with Prurigo Nodularis Hyde

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the use of thalidomide in the treatment of prurigo nodularis Hyde (PNH) refractory to other treatments or in cases where other treatments cannot be used due to side effects. 77 medical records were retrospectively reviewed for the following data: sex, age, age at the beginning of thalidomide treatment, dermatological diagnosis, duration of the skin disease, previous treatments, indications for treatment with thalidomide, effect of treatment, duration of treatment with thalidomide, reasons for cessation of thalidomide treatment, and side effects. 54 patients had PNH. All patients were refractory to standard therapy or had side effects to treatment. 42 patients were treated with thalidomide and the majority of patients experienced clinical improvement. The most common reason for discontinuation of therapy was side effects, the most frequent being peripheral neuropathy and sedation. Thalidomide effectively treats PNH refractory to standard medications. However, physicians must be aware of possible side effects, especially peripheral neuropathy.