Rituximab as rescue therapy in refractory esophageal lichen planus

• Published in: Gastroenterología y hepatología Vol. 36; no. 4; p. 264
• Main Authors: Goñi Esarte, Silvia, Arín Letamendía, Antonio, Vila Costas, Juan José, Jiménez Pérez, Francisco Javier, Ruiz-Clavijo García, David, Carrascosa Gil, Juan, Almendral López, María Luz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.04.2013
• Subjects: Alopecia - complications; Androstadienes - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived - therapeutic use; Atrophy; Esophageal Diseases - complications; Esophageal Diseases - drug therapy; Esophageal Stenosis - etiology; Esophagitis, Peptic - complications; Esophagitis, Peptic - drug therapy; Esophagus - pathology; Female; Fluticasone; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Lichen Planus - complications; Lichen Planus - drug therapy; Lichen Planus, Oral - complications; Middle Aged; Mucous Membrane - pathology; Prednisone - therapeutic use; Proton Pump Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Rituximab; Salvage Therapy; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus - complications
• ISSN: 0210-5705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gastrohep.2012.07.004

Esophageal lichen planus (ELP) is a rare condition with unknown prevalence that can sometimes be underestimated due to the subtle and nonspecific findings of diagnostic workup. Oral lesions rarely extend to the esophageal mucosa, but when they do, the most frequent symptoms are dysphagia and odynophagia. There is often a significant delay in diagnosis and inadequate treatment. We report the case of a 59-year-old woman diagnosed with ELP, successfully treated with rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody that depletes CD20+B cells. To our knowledge, this is only the second report of this treatment in ELP.