Therapeutic effectiveness of calcineurin inhibitors in canine vesicular cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND

Oral and topical calcineurin inhibitors (CIs) have been reported to lead to complete lesion remission in several dogs with vesicular cutaneous lupus erythematosus (VCLE).

OBJECTIVES

To report retrospectively on the effectiveness and adverse effects of systemic (ciclosporin) and/or topical (tacrolimus/pimecrolimus) CIs in 11 dogs with VCLE.

METHODS

Inclusion criteria were: (i) presence of characteristic annular, polycyclic or serpiginous ulcerations distributed over the groin, axillae and/or ventral abdomen; (ii) a histopathological diagnosis of VCLE (i.e. a lymphocyte-rich interface dermatitis with vesiculation); (iii) treatment that included CIs for at least eight weeks; and (iv) follow-up until death/euthanasia or for a minimum of 12 months post-diagnosis.

RESULTS

Initial therapy included the avoidance of excessive sun exposure, oral glucocorticoids [six of 11 dogs (55%); progressively tapered over a month] and once daily ciclosporin [11 dogs (100%); median 5.8 mg/kg]. A complete remission (CR) of signs occurred between days 35 and 70 after starting CIs in eight dogs (73%); increasing ciclosporin dosage and adding topical tacrolimus induced a CR in two additional dogs (18%). Relapses were common when doses were tapered or discontinued. With the exception of three dogs that were euthanized, clinical signs were maintained in CR with oral ciclosporin (eight of eight dogs treated, 100%) or topical tacrolimus/pimecrolimus (four of eight dogs; 50%) with a median follow-up of 2.9 years.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

These observations support CIs as the preferable therapeutic alternatives to long-term immunosuppression with oral glucocorticoids in dogs with VCLE.