Successful Treatment of Refractory Cutaneous Polyarteritis Nodosa with Adalimumab

ABSTRACT

Cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa (CPAN) is a form of necrotizing vasculitis of the medium and small-sized arteries. The condition is limited to the skin and there is a lack of visceral involvement. Treatment with systemic glucocorticoids alone or in combination with azathioprine, methotrexate or cyclophosphamide, depending on the disease severity, has been shown to be effective. This paper reports the clinical case of a 53-year-old female patient with CPAN refractory to treatment with high dose glucocorticoid, methotrexate, azathioprine, and cyclophosphamide, who was treated successfully with anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy (adalimumab).