Effect of Oral Alitretinoin Therapy on Trachyonychia
- Author:
Hyo Eun PARK
1
;
Seung Ah YOO
;
Hyun Jeong PARK
;
Miri KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Dermatology, The Catholic University of Korea, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Korean Journal of Dermatology
2020;58(5):299-304
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Background:Trachyonychia is a condition characterized by longitudinal ridging, pitting, and roughness of the nail surface. It tends to be resistant to various treatment modalities, often leading to a clinically unsatisfactory outcome. Alitretinoin (9-cis-retinoic acid; Alitoc Capsule) is approved for patients with severe chronic hand eczema and has been shown to be effective for other skin diseases. However, only few studies have demonstrated the efficacy of oral alitretinoin for the treatment of trachyonychia.
Objective:We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral alitretinoin therapy for the treatment of trachyonychia.
Methods:We reviewed the medical records and clinical photographs of patients with trachyonychia who were treated with oral alitretinoin therapy between January 2016 and December 2019 in the Department of Dermatology of Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital. Photographs of the lesions were taken and evaluated at 0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. The severity of trachyonychia was assessed into 5 grades according to the roughness of the nail and the distribution of affected areas.
Results:Thirty patients (male: 12, female: 18) with a mean age of 51.5±11.1 years were included in the study. After treatment with oral alitretinoin at a dosage of 10∼30 mg/day, the severity of trachyonychia tended to decrease as the number of treatment sessions increased. The mean treatment duration was 6.9±4.1 months. The therapeutic effects were as follows. After 3 months of treatment, 88.0% of the patients showed partial remission, and all the patients showed improvement after ＞6 months of treatment. After 12 months of treatment, 20.0% of the patients achieved complete remission.
Conclusion:Oral alitretinoin therapy may be an effective and safe treatment option for trachyonychia.
