M. Grundmann-kollmann et al., Treatment of chronic plaque-stage psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with mycophenolate mofetil, J AM ACAD D, 42(5), 2000, pp. 835-837
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), a widely used immunosuppressant in organ trans
plantation, is a recent addition to the therapeutic armamentarium of autoim
mune and inflammatory skin disorders in dermatology. We describe 5 patients
with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis and 6 patients with psori
atic arthritis that was refractory to conventional systemic and:or topical
antipsoriatic treatment who were treated with MMF monotherapy (2 g/d) in a
10-week study. Although MMF was tolerated well in all patients, only patien
ts with moderate psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis improved with therapy wh
ereas patients with ses ere psoriasis did not respond to MMF. Although MMF
seems to be effective and safe for blistering autoimmune diseases and pyode
rma gangrenosum, our data do not allow optimistic statements on the use of
MMF in severe plaque-stage psoriasis. However, MMF may develop into an inte
resting therapeutic alternative for patients with psoriatic arthritis.