Programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor-induced recalcitrant mixed small and medium vessel vasculitis

Dermatol Online J. 2020 Sep 15;26(9):13030/qt9g21v07d.

Abstract

Pembrolizumab, a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) inhibitor, has been known to be associated with several adverse reactions, including immune related adverse events. In less than one percent of patients, PD1 inhibitors have been linked to the development of connective tissue disease. Patients with previously known connective tissue disease are hypothesized to be at increased risk of flares in as many as 40% of cases. A 70-year-old man with a past medical history significant for rheumatoid arthritis in remission and stage IV lung adenocarcinoma presented to the dermatology clinic after one cycle of nivolumab and eight cycles of pembrolizumab exhibiting worsening, painful bilateral lower extremity ulcers for approximately one month. On the lower legs, three large black retiform eschars and bullous purpuric plaques were observed. Vasculitis is a rare complication of PD1 inhibitor therapy, with the majority of cases reported in literature either medium vessel or large vessel vasculitis. Only glucocorticoids have proven effective for PD1-induced vasculitis and these patients generally require multi-specialty management.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / complications
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / drug therapy*
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / secondary
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / adverse effects*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / complications
  • Deprescriptions
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Heart Failure / chemically induced
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / adverse effects*
  • Leg Ulcer / chemically induced*
  • Leg Ulcer / drug therapy
  • Leg Ulcer / pathology
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / chemically induced
  • Lung Neoplasms / complications
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Nivolumab / adverse effects
  • Rheumatoid Vasculitis / chemically induced*
  • Rheumatoid Vasculitis / drug therapy
  • Rheumatoid Vasculitis / pathology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
  • Nivolumab
  • pembrolizumab